A grandfather has been identified as the suspect who allegedly killed eight of his family and friends in a shooting before taking his own life, heartbroken relatives have revealed. The horror shooting left nine people, including a pregnant woman and two young children dead in Pennsylvania on Friday, after a 45-year-old man opened fire in a family home.
Shooting details and victims
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said the shooter was related to seven of the victims. He added that the eighth was a friend of the pregnant woman. Gunshots were heard from inside the house on Perry Street in Erie at around 5pm local time on Friday, with emergency services rushing to the scene.
A 24-year-old pregnant mum and the daughter of the shooter, Angelina Stone, was reportedly found shot to death in the home, according to a GoFundMe page. Her children, five-year-old Isiah, and nearly two-year-old Amari'anna, also died in the horrific incident. Her grieving family added that her unborn child, who was going to be named Kyrie, was supposed to be born on Wednesday.
Community memorial and reactions
Amari'anna's father expressed his shock as he said that the gunman never seemed distressed. Julius Windham said at a memorial held for the victims: “I think that was a front for him. Him every day, him smiling and being just — you would think of nothing like that would happen.”
On Sunday, mourners placed candles, stuffed animals, and flowers outside the home. Windham wore a t-shirt with pictures of the women and children and the words, “Forever In My Heart” and said: “Words can’t even explain what I’m going through right now, But I gotta be strong for my community, you know what I’m saying? My family, my daughters, my sons, everybody.”
Police response and identifications
Erie Police Department confirmed that when they arrived at the scene, they found the bodies of two women, ages 37 and 51, outside. They also found a 19-year-old male, a 21-year-old male, and a 44-year-old female dead in the home.
The victims are yet to be formally identified by police, but according to GoFundMe pages, Lora Roberts and her friend Twila Tanner were killed in the shooting as they tried to protect the children. A fundraiser for Tanner said: "On October 9th in Erie, Pennsylvania, Twila Tanner tragically lost her life while bravely trying to help a friend protect her family from a violent and dangerous individual. In a moment of courage and selflessness, Twila put herself in harm’s way to help others."
Friends also claimed that Lora Roberts 'gave her life trying to save another.' She has been remembered as a loving mother of five children who was engaged to her fiancé of 14 years, Jeremy, according to the GoFundMe. His sister, Lisa Simmers, expressed her heartbreak at the deaths. She added: "They are all just beautiful children and definitely did not deserve what happened to them. We just want to make it right so that the respects are paid to them and they get the send-off they deserve. At the end of the day, what happened will be remembered for years. This is not something that the city will ever forget."
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said: “I want to be candid with our community, this is one of the most difficult and heartbreaking scenes that our officers and investigators have ever encountered. The loss of life is devastating and the circumstances that we are working through are deeply disturbing.”
Video footage captured gunfire breaking out inside the home before two 'distressed' women started banging on the front door, according to authorities. The shooter then came outside and shot at the women before returning into the home.
