Transgender Shooter's Son Serving Federal Prison Term for Black Church Arson
Robert Dorgan, the 56-year-old transgender individual who also used the name Roberta Esposito, took his own life after opening fire at a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The Monday afternoon shooting at Lynch Arena resulted in the deaths of his 23-year-old son Aidan Dorgan and his 52-year-old ex-wife Rhonda. Three additional individuals remain in critical condition at a local hospital following the violent incident.
Family Connections to Previous Hate Crime
During their investigation into the shooting, authorities discovered that Dorgan was the biological father of Kevin Colantonio, a 37-year-old currently serving time in federal prison. Colantonio was convicted for attempting to burn down the Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries, a predominantly black Pentecostal church in North Providence, two years prior to the shooting incident.
North Providence Police Chief Alfredo Ruggiero Jr. confirmed that investigators made this familial connection on Wednesday. They reviewed previous interviews conducted with Colantonio's mother, Marlyse Dunbar, who had identified Dorgan as her son's father during the arson investigation. Dorgan, who reportedly had Nazi-inspired tattoos and expressed support for white power ideologies, was confirmed as Colantonio's biological parent.
Weapons Recovered and Extremist Connections
Police released images of firearms recovered from multiple locations connected to Dorgan, including his apartment, work locker, and storage unit. The seized weapons included a sawed-off shotgun and an AR-15 style rifle taken from the storage facility, along with two handguns recovered directly from the shooting scene.
Family acquaintances have told investigators that Dorgan influenced his son's dangerous fixation on racial issues. Federal investigators discovered white nationalist messages in Colantonio's notebooks following the February 2024 church arson. One particularly disturbing message advocated hunting down non-white individuals, while another specifically targeted churches and religious leaders.
Details of the Church Arson Case
Authorities detailed how Colantonio purchased a Bic lighter and ten dollars worth of gasoline from a local station before walking to the Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries. He poured gasoline around the church's base and ignited five separate fires. Although quickly extinguished, the flames caused significant damage that prevented congregants from holding services until repairs could be completed.
Federal prosecutors emphasized that the arson directly obstructed the free exercise of religious beliefs for the church's approximately one hundred mostly black members. Court documents revealed that Colantonio privately messaged a family member the day after the fire, expressing his belief that no one in the community cared about the arson and referring to church members as atheist God mockers.
Legal Proceedings and Mental Health Considerations
Colantonio ultimately pleaded guilty to charges of malicious damage by fire and obstruction of religious freedom. His defense attorney, Kara Hoopis Manosh, argued that her client had a history of mental illness dating back to age four. Prosecutors acknowledged these mental health issues but maintained they did not excuse targeting people based on race and religion.
The court sentenced Colantonio to more than six years in federal prison last June for both the church arson and additional incidents involving throwing feces and urine at correctional officers. He is currently serving his sentence at a federal facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
Family Dynamics and Personal History
Records obtained by investigators show that Dorgan lived with Colantonio in North Providence around 2004, when Colantonio was a teenager. Police Chief Ruggiero noted that this was approximately the same period when Dorgan began cross-dressing. Dorgan later underwent gender reassignment surgery, which court documents indicate caused strain within his family.
His ex-wife Rhonda initially cited the gender reassignment surgery along with narcissistic and personality disorder traits as grounds for divorce in 2020, though these were later replaced with irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized in 2021.
Family Perspectives on the Tragedy
Dorgan's daughter, Amanda Wallace-Hubbard, who witnessed the shooting alongside her two sons, stated that her father's gender identity was not the primary reason for family estrangement. The 36-year-old explained that her father struggled with deeper issues throughout his adult life and that she distanced herself after having children of her own.
Wallace-Hubbard described her father as having a vendetta against his family, which she believes motivated the shooting. She expressed gratitude for bystander Michael Black, who intervened during the incident by leaping over seats to disarm Dorgan and tackle him to the ground, potentially saving additional lives.
Online Presence and Ideological Extremism
Dorgan's social media activity revealed extreme ideological positions, including describing himself as to the right of Hitler and posting anti-Asian slurs. Just one day before the shooting, he responded to a video praising Adolf Hitler and threatened to go berserk.
Wallace-Hubbard reflected that her father never received adequate mental health support and was unwilling to acknowledge his problems. She has since launched a fundraising effort to support her surviving siblings, noting that their grandparents remain hospitalized in critical condition following the shooting.
Legal Representation and Community Impact
Lawrence J Signore, the attorney representing the Dorgan family, stated he had no prior knowledge of Colantonio but acknowledged the family's profound grief and cooperation with authorities. He emphasized that behind the headlines lies a family experiencing deep pain and loss, with lives forever changed by the tragic events.
The interconnected cases of father and son reveal complex layers of extremism, mental health challenges, and family dynamics that culminated in multiple violent incidents affecting numerous victims across different communities.
