A 45-year-old man killed eight family members and friends, including his pregnant daughter and two young children, before taking his own life in a shooting in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Friday. The attack left nine people dead in a family home on Perry Street, with police responding to reports of gunfire at around 5pm local time.
Victims identified
Angelina Stone, a 24-year-old pregnant mother and daughter of the shooter, was found dead in the home, according to a GoFundMe page. Her children, five-year-old Isiah and nearly two-year-old Amari'anna, were also killed. Her family said her unborn child, who was to be named Kyrie, was due to be born on Wednesday.
According to GoFundMe pages, Lora Roberts and her friend Twila Tanner were also killed as they tried to protect the children. A fundraiser for Tanner said she "tragically lost her life while bravely trying to help a friend protect her family from a violent and dangerous individual." Friends said Roberts "gave her life trying to save another." She was a mother of five and engaged to her fiancé of 14 years, Jeremy.
Memorial and community response
On Sunday, mourners placed candles, stuffed animals, and flowers outside the home. Julius Windham, Amari'anna's father, said the gunman never seemed distressed, saying at a memorial: "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."
Windham, wearing a t-shirt with pictures of the victims and the words "Forever In My Heart," 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
Erie Police Department confirmed that upon arrival, officers found the bodies of two women, ages 37 and 51, outside, and a 19-year-old male, a 21-year-old male, and a 44-year-old female dead inside the home. The shooter also died at the scene.
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."
According to authorities, video footage captured gunfire breaking out inside the home before two "distressed" women began banging on the front door. The shooter then came outside and shot at the women before returning inside. Lisa Simmers, sister of one of the victims, said: "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."
