Pawtucket Police Department Executes Search Warrants in Dennis Lynch Arena Shooting Investigation
PAWTUCKET, RI — We are providing an update to the investigation of the shooting at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena on February 16, 2026. Starting yesterday afternoon into the overnight hours of this morning, February 18th, members of the Pawtucket Police Detective Division continued the investigation into the shooting at Dennis Lynch Arena. With the assistance of the Maine State Police and the FBI, search warrants were executed at the suspect’s apartment and work locker in Bath, Maine, as well as the suspect’s storage unit in Brunswick, Maine.
Police seized an electronic device, various ammunition, firearm accessories, and personal identification documents from the apartment.
Police seized a Sawed-off shotgun, an AR-15 style rifle, a handgun frame, various ammunition, firearm accessories, and mail addressed to the suspect from the storage unit.
No items were seized from the work locker.
Shortly after the shooting, police identified a white van with a Maine license plate as the suspect’s vehicle. Police searched the van and seized multiple items, which led us to identify the suspect’s home address and the address of a storage unit in Maine. A Florida firearms carry permit was also recovered from the suspect’s body. At this time, we are not aware of any Rhode Island concealed carry permit.
The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted a trace on the two handguns seized at Lynch Arena. The first firearm was a Glock 29 (10MM), purchased by Robert Dorgan on 09/19/2021 in Jacksonville, Florida. The second firearm was a Sig Sauer P226 (.357), purchased by Robert Dorgan on 07/13/2019 in West Warwick, Rhode Island.
The seized firearms and ammunition will be sent to the Rhode Island Crime Laboratory for testing and for input into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) system.
At this time, all three surviving victims remain hospitalized in critical condition and we pray for their full recovery.
The Pawtucket Police Department would also like to acknowledge the courageous citizens who intervened during the attack. Their actions undoubtedly prevented further injury and increased the chances of survival for the injured. They exemplified model citizen behavior and true bravery in the face of danger. These individuals include Michael Black, Robert Rattenni, and Ryan Cordeiro, who bravely subdued the suspect. Chris Librizzi and Glenn Narodowy, both retired Warwick, RI, firefighters and EMTs, and Nurse Maryann Rattenni rendered critical first aid in the immediate aftermath.
The Pawtucket Police Department will continue to work diligently with our state and federal law enforcement partners as this investigation progresses. Detectives are actively analyzing the evidence recovered and are pursuing all investigative leads to try to obtain a full accounting of the events leading up to this tragedy.
Our thoughts remain with the victims and their families during this extremely difficult time. Additional updates will be released as new information becomes available.
