The serene Friday evening in Erie, Pennsylvania, shattered into a scene of unimaginable horror as a grandfather unleashed an unspeakable act of violence, slaughtering nine people, including his young grandchildren and his pregnant daughter, just days away from giving birth.
Authorities confirmed that the 45-year-old suspect, whose identity has not yet been fully released, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the family home after the carnage. The murder weapon lay beside him.
The horrific spree began inside the residence before the assailant stepped outside, gunning down two more women, aged 51 and 37, who had rushed to the scene. He then retreated into the house to take his own life, according to law enforcement officials.
Among the victims was Angelina Stone, the killer's pregnant daughter, tragically close to welcoming her third child, Kyrie, into the world. The unborn baby was counted among the dead, bringing the total number of victims to nine. Angelina’s two other beloved children—five-year-old son Isiah and nearly two-year-old daughter Amari’anna—were also senselessly killed.
Eight family members, alongside a dear friend of Angelina's, perished in the massacre. An online fundraiser, which had already gathered nearly $24,000 by Sunday, starkly stated, "Angelina’s father killed Angelina and her children in a murder-suicide, and now our family is facing the painful task of laying them to rest."
Ezekiel, the father of one of Angelina’s slain children, tearfully confirmed the killer's identity to Erie News Now as his former partner's father. "It was my baby, bro, and he just took her," Ezekiel recounted, his voice heavy with grief. "Her name was Amari’anna. She’s the most beautiful baby God could have created."
Angelina Stone had already chosen the name Kyrie for her unborn son, who was due to arrive on Wednesday. "She was pregnant, about to have a baby in a couple of days and she had a daughter that was almost two, and her son Isaiah, who I believe was four or five," Ezekiel’s sister, Lisa Simmers, shared with the outlet. "They are all just beautiful children and definitely did not deserve what happened to them."
Erie police have not yet released a motive for the gruesome killings, stating on Sunday that identifications were being withheld while "surviving family members are still being notified." Another fundraising effort was launched for Lora Roberts, remembered by organizers Kellie Eggleston and Christine Tombaugh as "a loving mother of five, a devoted fiancée, a cherished daughter, family member, and friend to so many."
The mass shooting unfolded just before 5 p.m. on Friday at a home on the 700 block of Perry Road on the East Side of Erie, a lakeside city of 91,000 residents situated between New York and Ohio.
Investigators recovered chilling video and audio evidence revealing gunshots fired within the home, followed by two "distressed" women desperately pounding on the door. According to authorities, the 45-year-old family patriarch then emerged and fatally shot them before re-entering the house.
Upon arrival, officers discovered the bodies of the two women, aged 37 and 51, outside. After a non-violent standoff, during which a drone and robot were deployed, police entered the residence. Inside, they found the bodies of a five-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl on the first floor. Two women and two men were found dead in a stairwell, and the shooter's body was located upstairs, police confirmed.
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the scene with raw honesty, saying at a press conference, "It was horrific. It was the worst scene I have ever experienced."
A profound outpouring of grief and support materialized at a candlelight vigil held Saturday night outside the crime scene. Community members gathered, lighting candles, leaving balloons, and placing stuffed animals as a memorial to the innocent lives lost. Neighbor Candice Delange recalled the terrifying moments: "My son heard the first shot go off and then we heard the screaming, and then we heard the next three that went off as well. So it was quite frightening for us to experience."
Lisa Simmers, a heartbroken family member, voiced the collective anguish: "We were here. We heard the shots. We heard everything go down, step by step. We were here while we couldn’t run into the house and help the babies."
She continued, articulating the unbearable reality facing the survivors, "How do you go home and tell your kids like, hey, your mom, your siblings, your uncles and everybody else just got murdered by your grandpa?"
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, acknowledged the tragedy during a Saturday campaign event, also referencing the deadly ambush of two Philadelphia police officers. "Today has been a dark day across this commonwealth," he stated.
This horrific act of violence, a betrayal of the most sacred family bonds, leaves a community in mourning and serves as a stark reminder of the fragile nature of peace and the profound impact when the very foundations of trust and safety are shattered. Such senseless loss demands deep reflection and renewed commitment to the values that uphold human dignity and protect the innocent.
