A shooting inside an ice rink in the northeastern United States left at least two dead and several people injured, authorities said, in a new incident that highlights the rise in gun violence in the country.

Published on: 02/17/2026 - 02:25 Last updated: 02/17/2026 - 07:21

At least two people were killed and three others were injured in a shooting inside an ice skating rink in the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in the northeastern United States, on Monday, according to what the authorities announced, while clips circulating on social media showed teenagers fleeing in panic as gunfire was heard.

City Police Chief Tina Goncalvez said that the incident resulted in 3 deaths in total, including the suspect and two victims, in addition to 3 wounded who were taken to the hospital.

She added in a press conference that preliminary investigations indicate that the shooting was “directed” and that “it may be a family dispute,” without providing additional details about the nature of this dispute or the circumstances of the suspect’s death.

The identity of the victims was not immediately revealed, but Goncalvez explained that the wounded were in “critical condition,” which suggests that the death toll would rise.

The shooting occurred during a high school ice hockey match inside the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, only about 5.6 kilometers from Brown University, which witnessed another mass shooting two months ago.

Read also: United States: Two dead and one wounded in a shooting incident on the University of South Carolina campus

Footage posted on social media showed players, students and fans running towards the exits or crouching down for cover as shots echoed around the closed arena.

At least 12 shots can be heard in the circulating clip, which appears to be excerpted from a live broadcast of the match.

The video scenes indicate that the players continued playing in the first moments, before rushing to the edges of the ring or towards the exits as the successive barrage of shots continued, while spectators were seen running and trying to take cover behind the seats and walls.

This incident again highlights the frequency of shooting incidents in the United States, where relatively lax gun laws make it easier to obtain firearms.

According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, in 2025 the country witnessed more than 400 mass shooting incidents, which the archive defines as incidents in which at least 4 people are injured or killed by bullets, excluding the shooter himself.

Gun violence in its various forms claimed at least 14,703 deaths in the same year, without counting suicides by firearms.

France 24/AFP

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