A single TV comment after a targeted family shooting is reigniting a fight over whether “mental health” can become the next excuse to carve up Second Amendment rights.
Quick Take
- Pawtucket, Rhode Island police say a transgender-identifying Florida man carried out a “very targeted” attack at a high school hockey game, killing his ex-wife and son before taking his own life.
- Investigators reported the shooter had legally purchased firearms and a Florida carry license, and they have not identified a manifesto, extremist ties, or a clear trigger.
- Fox News host Lawrence Jones argued people who “think they’re another sex” should be barred from gun ownership, framing gender-identity belief as a disqualifying mental-health risk.
- The case spotlights a core tension for conservatives: punishing law-abiding citizens’ rights based on broad “risk” categories versus targeting demonstrably dangerous behavior.
What Police Say Happened at the Pawtucket Hockey Arena
Pawtucket police described a Monday-night shooting at Dennis M. Lynch Arena during a high school hockey game as deliberate and family-focused. Authorities said Robert Dorgan, 56, entered, exited, and reentered the venue, approached relatives in the bleachers, and opened fire. Police said he killed his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, and his son, Aidan Dorgan, then fatally shot himself after bystanders intervened during the chaos.
Fox's Lawrence Jones Argues Trans People Who Actually 'Think They're Another Sex' Shouldn't Be Allowed to Own Guns https://t.co/FqLCnsrXc2
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) February 18, 2026
Police said three others were critically injured: Rhonda Dorgan’s parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, and a family friend, Thomas Giarrusso. Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters the attack appeared “very targeted,” with no reported argument or confrontation immediately beforehand. Investigators also said Dorgan’s presence at games had been routine, which complicates the public’s natural question: what changed between “normal attendance” and sudden violence.
Legal Guns, Out-of-State Licensing, and the Limits of “Red Flag” Narratives
Authorities said Dorgan used a legally purchased Glock 10mm and a SIG Sauer P226, and that he held a Florida carry license. Pawtucket police said there were no local law-enforcement red flags tied to him in their jurisdiction, though they acknowledged some contacts at the state level. Police also reported finding no suicide note, no extremist links, and no clear trigger as search warrants and investigative steps continued.
Those details matter because they cut against simplistic talking points on all sides. The facts presented so far do not describe a random spree aimed at strangers; they describe a focused family attack that erupted in a public setting. Conservatives have long argued that broad gun bans punish citizens who did nothing wrong. Yet this case also illustrates the reality that “legal purchase” and “licensed carry” do not automatically predict who becomes violent in a private domestic dispute.
Lawrence Jones’ Argument and the Push to Treat Gender Identity as Disqualifying
On Fox News, host Lawrence Jones tied the shooter’s transgender identity to gun eligibility, arguing that people who “think they’re another sex” should not be allowed to own firearms. The claim attempts to place transgender identity into a mental-health framework that could justify firearm prohibitions. It also echoes ongoing national debates about when mental-health status should affect rights, including through “red flag” systems and involuntary commitment standards.
The complication is that the publicly available information in this case, as described by police, does not establish a diagnostic finding, an adjudication of mental incompetence, or a prior disqualifying event that would clearly fit traditional federal gun-prohibition categories. The background debate cited in the research notes that the DSM-5 drew distinctions between gender dysphoria and delusion. Without more verified investigative findings, treating an identity label itself as proof of dangerousness remains an argument—rather than a conclusion supported by the reported case facts.
The Larger Conservative Concern: Vague Categories That Can Expand Government Power
For a constitutionalist audience, the biggest takeaway may be less about one commentator’s on-air provocation and more about the policy door it could open. If lawmakers or regulators accept broad “risk group” logic—whether based on identity, medical labels, or political fashion—gun rights can become contingent on ever-shifting definitions. That approach invites bureaucratic expansion and selective enforcement, especially when cultural institutions have recently shown a willingness to redefine terms to fit ideological goals.
Police have not announced any policy changes tied to the shooting, and the investigation remains active with motive still unclear. Until investigators provide more concrete evidence about intent and precursors, the most defensible policy discussion stays narrow: how to identify credible threats and intervene based on behavior, due process, and documented risk—not sweeping identity-based bans. Conservatives wary of government overreach can acknowledge the tragedy while insisting that constitutional rights not be rewritten by headline-driven categories.
Sources:
New details revealed about seconds before trans gunman opened fire at Rhode Island hockey game
