BREAKING NEWS | OCTOBER 12, 2026
A Pennsylvania community is struggling to comprehend a devastating family tragedy after eight people, including two young children and a pregnant woman, were killed inside and outside a home in Erie.
What began as an ordinary Friday afternoon on October 9, 2026, ended in one of the deadliest shootings in the city’s history.
The victims included a 1-year-old girl, her 5-year-old brother, their pregnant mother, and several other adults. Authorities say the 45-year-old gunman was related to seven of the eight people he killed. The eighth victim was a family friend.
The shooter also died, bringing the total number of deaths at the scene to nine. The pregnant woman’s unborn baby was also lost.
But as investigators examined surveillance footage and reconstructed the final moments, a particularly heartbreaking detail emerged: two women had arrived outside the house and appeared to be trying to get help before they were killed.
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Police and community members gathered near the Erie residence following the October 9 shooting.
A Friday Afternoon That Turned Into a Nightmare
The tragedy unfolded shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday in a residential neighborhood along Perry Street in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Residents in the area had little warning of what was happening inside the home.
According to Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah, investigators later recovered video and audio evidence suggesting that several gunshots had been fired inside the residence before two women arrived outside.
The women, ages 51 and 37, appeared visibly distressed. Surveillance footage showed them attempting to attract attention, approaching nearby homes and banging on a door.
Police believe the women understood that something was seriously wrong.
Moments later, the gunman emerged from the residence and shot both women.
When officers arrived, they found the women outside the home. Neither could be saved.
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Investigators secured the neighborhood as they worked to establish the sequence of events.
Inside the House, Officers Made a Devastating Discovery
Police were alerted to the shooting shortly before 5 p.m. through reports and a gunshot detection system.
Responding officers arrived within minutes.
But the house was eerily quiet.
Chief Lorah later explained that officers did not hear additional gunfire, calls for help, or movement coming from inside.
Because authorities could not immediately determine whether the shooter was still alive and armed, officers used specialized equipment, including a drone and a robot, to assess the situation.
When police entered, they discovered a scene that would leave even experienced emergency responders deeply shaken.
On the first floor, officers found two young children: a 5-year-old boy and a girl who was not yet 2 years old.
Four adults were discovered near the stairwell leading to the second floor.
They included two women, ages 24 and 44, and two young men, ages 19 and 21.
The 45-year-old gunman was found on the second floor, apparently having died by suicide.
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Emergency responders worked at the home as investigators documented the evidence.
Chief Lorah described the emotional impact of the investigation, acknowledging that some scenes remain with officers long after their work is finished.
For the families involved, the loss was almost unimaginable.
The Pregnant Mother Was Just Days Away From Giving Birth
Among the victims was Angelina Stone, a 24-year-old mother preparing to welcome her third child.
Family members identified her children as 5-year-old Isiah Hodges and 22-month-old Amari’anna.
Angelina was expecting another son, whom she planned to name Kyrie.
According to relatives and a family fundraising appeal, her due date was October 14—just five days after the shooting.
Instead of preparing to celebrate a new baby’s arrival, her loved ones are now arranging funerals.
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Family photographs of Angelina Stone and her children, shared in news coverage following the tragedy.
Angelina’s death has been especially painful for those who knew how close she was to giving birth.
A friend of the family, Lisa Simmers, spoke to CBS Pittsburgh about the devastating loss, recalling the innocence of the two young children and the helplessness felt by those outside the home.
The children’s father also expressed profound grief over losing loved ones in the shooting.
For the surviving relatives, the tragedy has meant mourning several generations of one family at once.
The Gunman Was Reportedly the Family’s Own Patriarch
As more information emerged, relatives identified the suspected shooter as Matthew Stone, 45.
According to family accounts, he was Angelina’s father and the grandfather of her two young children.
The other victims were identified by relatives as his wife, Michelle Stone, 44; his sons Matthew Stone II, 19, and Jonathan Stone, 21; Michelle’s sister, Lora Roberts, 37; and family friend Twila Tanner, 51.
These identities and relationships were reported by relatives and local media as investigators continued their work.
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Family photographs published after the shooting identified several generations of relatives who died.
The reported relationship between the gunman and his victims made the tragedy even more difficult for neighbors to understand.
People familiar with the family expressed shock that such violence could occur within the household.
According to Associated Press reporting, some acquaintances described the man as someone they had previously regarded as friendly or ordinary.
Police have not established a definitive motive.
Although investigators have discussed the possibility of mental health factors, authorities have not confirmed what led to the shooting.
AP News
Two Women Appeared to Be Trying to Help
One of the most troubling developments in the investigation concerns the final actions of Lora Roberts and Twila Tanner.
According to family accounts, the women went to the home after becoming worried about relatives inside.
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed two women arriving at the property and appearing distressed.
They attempted to get attention from nearby residents before encountering the gunman.
Both were fatally shot outside.
Their actions have become an especially poignant part of the tragedy, as loved ones remember them as women who apparently recognized that someone might be in danger and tried to intervene.
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A Community Gathers to Remember the Victims
By Saturday evening, October 10, grieving relatives, neighbors, and community members had gathered near the residence for a candlelight vigil.
Flowers, balloons, and other memorial items appeared outside the property.
The gathering gave residents an opportunity to remember the victims and support those left behind.
Erie Mayor Daria Devlin offered condolences to the families and praised emergency personnel who responded to the shooting.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro also expressed sympathy for the victims’ loved ones.
For a city of approximately 90,000 people, the scale of the loss has been deeply unsettling.
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Community members mourned the victims and left tributes near the residence.
Investigators Continue Searching for Answers
As of October 12, investigators were still working to establish why the shooting happened.
Police recovered a handgun registered to the suspected shooter and were examining available evidence, including recordings and victims’ phones.
Authorities have indicated that information recovered from the devices may help explain what happened before the shooting.
But several important questions remain unanswered.
Why did the gunman target members of his own family? What prompted the two women to arrive at the residence? Were there warning signs that could have revealed the danger?
Investigators have not yet provided definitive answers, and officials have urged the public to avoid spreading unverified claims.
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Remembering the Lives Behind the Headlines
The tragedy in Erie is more than a death toll or an investigation.
It is the loss of a young mother preparing to welcome a baby, two children who had barely begun their lives, relatives across multiple generations, and a family friend.
Angelina Stone was supposed to give birth on October 14. Her son Kyrie already had a name, and her family had been looking forward to his arrival.
Instead, surviving loved ones are facing an unimaginable series of goodbyes.
A fundraising campaign has been established to help cover funeral expenses for Angelina and her children, offering the community one way to support those affected.
As Erie continues to mourn, the investigation may eventually provide more answers about the events of October 9.
For now, the city is remembering the people whose lives were lost—and supporting the families who must live with their absence.
Sources: apnews.com, reuters.com, people.com, cbsnews.com, theguardian.com, wtae.com, dailyvoice.com, post-gazette.com, tmz.com.
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