Team USA took to the ice for practice on Tuesday. The USA is preparing for its Olympic quarterfinal game against the winner of Sweden and Latvia.
After practice, Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan had his media availability. He began his availability on a serious note, addressing the shooting at a Rhode Island hockey rink on Monday, per Mollie Walker of The Latest York Post.
“Our hearts and prayers go to the those that were affected…That actually is near home for me, growing up in Massachusetts. Two of our coaches are from Rhode Island. What a terrible tragedy and something that hits near home. I wanted to only acknowledge the incident and to let everyone know the way sorry we’re, that we feel for them and for his or her friends,” Sullivan said, opening up his time with the media.
Sullivan is from Marshfield, Massachusetts, just an hour away from Patucket, Rhode Island, where the tragic event happened.
The shooting happened on Monday at a high-school hockey game in Patucket. It could claim the lives of three people, including the perpetrator, and injure three other people. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves also gave an update on the events that transpired, per ESPN.
“It seems that this was a targeted event, that it might be a family dispute,” she said.
The Boston Bruins, Boston Red Sox, Latest England Patriots, Boston Celtics, and Latest England Revolution all have issued statements of support. Meanwhile, Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien also issued a brief statement.
“These are highschool kids, they were doing an event, they were fiddling with fans watching, and it changed into this,” Grebien said.