A hockey dad shot five members of his family at a youth hockey game on Monday, killing two of them before fatally shooting himself.
WPRI said the man was the father of a North Providence High School senior. He killed the student’s mother and one of their siblings, sources told the station. The other three family members were in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital.
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said only that the shooting was believed to stem from a “family dispute, WNAC reported.
Officials said the hockey game was being played by boys teams from Coventry/Johnson and Blackstone Valley Co-op, the Providence Journal reported..
The Journal said video from a service that live streams sporting events showed a burst of about 13 shots in six seconds, followed by a final shot 11 seconds later. All the shots occurred off-camera. The video said specators and athletes took several shots to react, and then they began seeking shelter before fleeing toward the exits.
“Today, our community experienced a terrible tragedy at Dennis M. Lynch Arena,” Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien said. “What should have been a joyful occasion, with dozens of families, students, and supporters gathered to celebrate Senior Night for the BVS (Blackstone Valley Schools) cooperative hockey team during a high school matchup against the Coventry–Johnston cooperative team, was instead marked by violence and fear.”
Officials said one of the victims of the shooting was pronounced dead at the scene, while four others were transported to a hospital, where one of them died, WNAC said.
The names of the victims and the killer have not been released.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Featured image: Video obtained by WHDH]