The incident
Michael Black, a 58‑year‑old retired printing‑company owner, was watching a youth hockey game when he heard what he initially thought were popping balloons. Within seconds he realized it was gunfire. He shouted to his wife, “run, run,” and then lunged toward the shooter’s handgun. Black’s left hand became caught in the gun’s chamber, jamming the weapon.
“The first thought was the safety of my wife. And the second thought was, because the bullets were coming out, was to focus in on the gun,” Black told an AP correspondent. “Get the gun and then subdue the shooter.”
Although Black briefly tried to hold the gunman, Robert Dorgan, down, Dorgan—described as a former bodybuilder—hoisted Black into the air. Two other bystanders rushed in; a video shows one of them putting Dorgan in a choke‑hold. The shooter fell to the ground with Black on top. Dorgan later pulled a second gun and shot himself.
Alongside Black, Robert Rattenni and Ryan Cordeiro are credited with subduing Dorgan. Retired firefighters Chris Librizzi and Glenn Narodowy and nurse Maryann Rattenni administered immediate medical assistance. Five people were shot: Dorgan’s ex‑wife Rhonda Dorgan and their adult son Aidan Dorgan were killed; Dorgan’s parents Linda and Gerald Dorgan and family friend Thomas Geruso were injured and remained in critical condition.
Police said the collective action of the “courageous citizens” “undoubtedly prevented further injury and increased the chances of survival for the injured.” Black later described the moment as a mix of pride and sadness. From a Zoom interview in South Carolina, where he was visiting his son at a college, he said, “I’m not going to allow this shooter to change my life… I’m not going to allow him to start dictating or making me afraid.”
The motive behind Dorgan’s attack remains unclear. Authorities have not publicly linked the shooting to his gender identity, though court records show Dorgan had mentioned being transgender and expressed far‑right ideologies. The tragedy has reignited discussion about bystander intervention, gun‑violence prevention, and the role of ordinary citizens in emergency situations.