Police Chief Tina Goncalves said the gunfire erupted around 2:30 p.m. during a “senior night” match attended by students, families and staff. Investigators described the attack as a targeted incident, possibly linked to a family dispute, though the motive remains under investigation.
Witness footage circulating online shows players scrambling for cover and spectators ducking as shots rang out. Referees halted play immediately, and both teams fled the rink, some jumping over boards to reach exits. Officers arrived within minutes and secured the arena, which was evacuated swiftly.
Mayor Donald R. Grebien called the episode “terrifying,” noting that children and families had gathered to celebrate student athletes. “A joyful atmosphere suddenly turned into fear and panic,” he said, confirming that counseling support would be offered to those affected.
School officials said all students from participating teams were accounted for. The superintendent of Coventry Public School District confirmed that its players were safe and accompanied by a police officer at the venue. The principal of North Smithfield High School also reported that students and spectators from his institution were unharmed but shaken.
Law enforcement maintained a heavy presence around the arena into the evening, with patrols monitoring surrounding streets. Authorities have not released the identities of the victims pending notification of families.
The incident comes as the region was still recovering from a separate attack two months earlier near Brown University, where two students were killed and several others injured. Investigators in that case said the suspect later died by suicide after earlier violence that included the killing of a professor at MIT.
Recent shootings elsewhere in the United States have also heightened public concern. In January, a woman identified as Renee Good was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, while a separate November incident near the White House left two National Guard personnel wounded.
Authorities said the Rhode Island investigation is ongoing, with forensic teams examining evidence and interviewing witnesses. Officials urged the public to rely on verified updates as detectives work to establish a full timeline and determine what led to the attack.
