A man credited with stopping a shooting at a Rhode Island hockey rink Monday night described on Newsmax's "Finnerty" Wednesday how he rushed an armed man and helped prevent what could have become a mass casualty event.
Michael Black, who was attending a hockey game in Pawtucket with his wife and friends, said the group was there "honoring their son" when xthe violence erupted.
Pawtucket Chief of Police Tina Goncalves said the shooter's ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan and adult son Aidan Dorgan were killed and three others were injured: Rhonda Dorgan's parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, and a family friend Thomas Geruso.
Police identified the shooter as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dorgan also went by the names Roberta Esposito and Roberta Dorgano, authorities said.
"I remember looking up the clock with about 10 minutes left in the first period and I heard two large pops, bang, bang," Black told host Rob Finnerty. "And I thought they were large balloons."
Black said he soon realized it was gunfire.
"All of a sudden I heard another bang. And as I peeked around the crowd, ... I saw just the gun," he said.
"I didn't see the shooter, but I saw the gun and told my wife to run. Run," Black said.
"She was fantastic. I told her to run and she listened right away."
Finnerty said the shooter, identified as Robert Dorgan, entered the rink with two guns and appeared intent on killing as many people as possible.
Black said after his wife fled, he remained seated until he saw an opening.
"I stay seated. You can see that video, stay seated," Black said.
"And as soon as there was an opening, I jumped up with total focus on the gun. I wanted to get the gun away."
Black said his hand became trapped in the weapon's firing mechanism during the struggle, unintentionally preventing it from firing.
"The gun wasn't firing because my hand was ... locking that gun up," he said.
Finnerty called Black "an absolute hero" and told him that he had saved "countless lives."
Black said the gunman was strong and briefly threw him aside.
He said others quickly stepped in, including "a gentleman named Bob," who tried to put the attacker in a choke hold.
"He kind of freed himself," Black said, adding that two more people joined before the shooter fell backward toward him.
Black said the attacker then "pulled out another gun."
He said there was a pause and that the man was panicking as he realized he was losing control.
"He put the gun in his mouth and shot himself," Black said.
When the shooting began, Black said he was sitting in the bleachers three rows behind the family, who were seated in the second row.
"As he came to row two, he started shooting the first person that was close," he said.
Black said he suffered injuries during the struggle, including being struck by a shell casing.
"One of the shells hit me in the mouth," he said, adding his hand required stitches.
Finnerty praised Black's actions, telling him, "What you did is just unbelievable."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
GET TODAY NEWSMAX :
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.