2 killed in shooting at high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island; suspect dead, police say

Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien referred to as the taking pictures on the Dennis M. Lynch Area “a horrible tragedy” in a press release issued Monday night time.

“What ought to have been a joyful event, with dozens of households, college students, and supporters gathered to rejoice Senior Evening for the BVS (Blackstone Valley Colleges) cooperative hockey workforce throughout a highschool matchup towards the Coventry-Johnston cooperative workforce, was as an alternative marked by violence and concern,” the mayor’s statement read.

Grebien mentioned town is working intently with legislation enforcement and the legal professional normal’s workplace within the ongoing investigation.

“Pawtucket is a powerful and resilient group, however tonight we’re a metropolis in mourning,” Grebien mentioned. “We are going to stand collectively to help all these affected within the tough days forward, and we are going to maintain the general public up to date as confirmed info turn out to be accessible.”

The mom of one of many hockey gamers described seeing first responders performing CPR within the stands of the Dennis M. Lynch Area after she ran again inside to seek out her son.

“You do not know what is going on on at first. You simply hear the loud noises. And we’re used to the youngsters banging on the board with their skates, so we thought it was that in the first place,” Melissa Dunn, whose son is a sophomore goalie on one of many groups, told reporters outside the police station after giving witness statements.

Dunn recalled screaming for her son to get down earlier than he and different gamers went throughout the ice to the locker room.

“We ran out of the rink … Your first thought is ‘the place’s my child?'” she mentioned. “I attempted to get again within the rink, and I really bought again in there to seek out out the place he was, and I noticed them doing CPR within the stands and it was simply actually disturbing.”

Federal brokers are helping native legislation enforcement in Pawtucket following the lethal taking pictures at a highschool boys’ hockey recreation.

FBI Boston mentioned it responded to the scene at Dennis M. Lynch Area.

“Presently, there is no such thing as a imminent menace to public security and there was no request for FBI help. Nonetheless, the general public ought to proceed to keep away from the realm,” the FBI mentioned in a statement posted to social media. “Our prayers are with everybody impacted by this incident.”

Earlier, ATF Boston mentioned brokers additionally responded to the taking pictures.

A highschool hockey participant who was on the ice on the time of the taking pictures mentioned he ran contained in the locker room when he heard photographs being fired.

“I went down after which I ran,” the participant, Olin Lawrence, advised reporters.

“We pressed towards the door and simply tried to remain secure down in there. It was very scary. We had been very nervous,” he mentioned. “It was quite a lot of photographs.”

Rhode Island State Rep. Cherie Cruz advised CBS Boston a number of faculties within the space had been a part of the senior night time hockey recreation on Monday because the taking pictures occured.

“A whole lot of totally different gamers from Coventry, from East Windfall, from Saint Rays [Saint Raphael Academy]. So there’s rather a lot from cities and cities right here at the moment,” Cruz mentioned on the scene.

College students from totally different faculties had been taking part in on the identical workforce, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves additionally mentioned.

Officers from Coventry Public Colleges and Windfall Nation Day have confirmed all their scholar athletes have been accounted for.

Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves confirmed two grownup victims are useless and three individuals are in vital situation in what investigators imagine was a focused taking pictures “which may be a household dispute.”

The suspect can also be confirmed useless, Goncalves mentioned at a information convention.

“We’re placing all of the items collectively. It seems [the suspect is dead] from a self-inflicted gun wound,” the police chief mentioned.

Kevin Folan, the top of faculties at Windfall Nation Day, mentioned in a press release: “We’re shocked and saddened by the taking pictures at at the moment’s hockey recreation. We are able to verify that the PCD college students, dad and mom, and employees that had been current are secure presently.”

Folan mentioned, “We are going to talk any additional updates to the PCD group instantly and help providers can be accessible to college students, households, and employees who might have them.”

Windfall Nation Day is a non-public college positioned in East Windfall.

In an e mail to the Coventry Public Colleges group, Superintendent Don Cowart mentioned all of their college students “have been accounted for and are secure.”

The Coventry boys’ hockey workforce was taking part in on the rink on the time of the taking pictures, Cowart mentioned.

“An officer from the Coventry Police Division is on scene and stays with our college students,” Cowart mentioned. “Employees are additionally with the workforce, and we’re persevering with to observe the scenario whereas reunification plans are coordinated.”

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said in a Facebook post that he and Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien are monitoring the incident and that state police are working with native legislation enforcement. 

“I’m praying for Pawtucket and everybody concerned,” McKee mentioned.