Robert Dorgan, a 56-year-old father of six who went by Roberta, was an electrician at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, where colleagues said he shocked co-workers by turning up in “inappropriate” miniskirts and heels.
Dorgan was an employee at the shipyard when he shot dead his 23-year-old son, Aidan, and his ex-wife, Rhonda, at a Rhode Island high school hockey game on Monday. He also injured his former in-laws at the Pawtucket ice rink as they watched another son play on Monday afternoon, New York Post reported.
Colleagues told the Providence Journal that Dorgan was “short-tempered” and an “odd bird” who came to work in “inappropriate clothing”, including short skirts and dresses.
“How the hell could you wear high heels in a shipyard?” said Ryan Fisher, who worked with Dorgan for seven years.
Fisher added that Dorgan was employed as an electric cable puller “because they had muscle.”
Another co-worker, who did not want to be named, said Dorgan had shown off photos of his ex-wife and children at the shipyard days before the shooting. The employee said Dorgan referred to his ex as “my princess” and gave zero indication they were divorced, and had gushed about how much he loved his family.
The co-worker said Dorgan still had a reputation for being an “odd bird” and into guns.
A spokesperson for General Dynamics Bath Iron Works confirmed Dorgan was an active employee at the company.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims, their families and all those affected by this tragedy,” the rep said in a brief statement to The Post.
Dorgan, who underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2020, shot his ex-wife and eldest son, authorities said. Authorities said the killer’s exact motive was still unknown but he clearly harboured a deadly resentment against his family.
