A 45-year-old grandfather killed eight people, including two young children and an expectant mother, before taking his own life at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, authorities and relatives said.
The shooting unfolded shortly before 5 p.m. Friday on the 700 block of Perry Road on the city’s east side. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said the gunman was related to seven of the victims, while the eighth person killed was a family friend. Official identifications have been withheld by police pending notification of all surviving relatives, but family members and online memorial funds have identified several of those who died.
Details of the tragedy
Among the victims was Angelina Stone, who was eight months pregnant and only days away from delivering her child, according to local reports and relatives. Stone died alongside her 5-year-old son, Isiah, and 1-year-old daughter, Amari’anna. Family fundraisers noted that her unborn child, named Kyrie, was also lost in the attack, which some relatives counted as a ninth victim.
Fundraising organizers also identified victim Lora Roberts, describing her as a devoted mother, fiancée and friend. Relatives and acquaintances gathered throughout the weekend outside the residence, placing candles, teddy bears and floral arrangements in memory of the victims.
Julius Windham, the father of toddler Amari’anna, said the gunman was the children’s grandfather and had never displayed outward warnings of distress. Speaking at a memorial on Sunday, Windham wore a commemorative shirt and said the shooter had maintained an ordinary, smiling demeanor that masked what was coming. Another family member, speaking to local media, expressed anguish over having to explain to surviving children that their relatives were slain by their grandfather.
Police response and investigation
Audio and video recordings recovered from the area indicated that gunfire began within the residence before two women, ages 37 and 51, arrived at the property in visible distress, Chief Lorah said. The women knocked forcefully on the front door, prompting the gunman to step outside and shoot both of them before retreating back into the residence.
When officers arrived, they discovered the two women dead outside. Police deployed a robot and an aerial drone to clear the home before entering. Inside, emergency personnel found the bodies of the two young children on the first floor, followed by two women and two young men dead in a stairwell. The gunman was discovered deceased on the second floor with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Chief Lorah called the incident the most horrific scene he had experienced in his career. While the department has not confirmed an official motive, Lorah indicated that mental health might have been an underlying factor. Investigators plan to interview family members and examine mobile devices belonging to the women who arrived at the house to understand why they hurried to the residence.
Civic leaders offered condolences across the state over the weekend. Erie Mayor Daria Devlin apologized to the grieving relatives for their unimaginable loss, assuring them of municipal support. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also issued statements lamenting the tragedy and calling it part of a dark period for the commonwealth.
Authorities said the investigation remains active as detectives conduct forensic evaluations and complete formal notifications for all victims.
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