Erie County Officials Identify Gunman and Victims in Tragic Pennsylvania Mass Shooting
Authorities in Erie, Pennsylvania, have identified 45-year-old Matthew Stone Sr. as the gunman who killed eight people, including seven relatives, before taking his own life. The victims included a pregnant woman, her two young children, his wife, two sons, and two women shot outside the residence.
Erie County officials have formally identified the gunman and seven of the eight victims killed during a tragic shooting at an Erie, Pennsylvania, home on Friday, Oct. 9. Authorities reported that seven of the eight victims were family members of the shooter, identified by Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook as 45-year-old Matthew Stone Sr. Officials confirmed that Stone took his own life inside the residence following the attack. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah stated that police investigators recovered audio and video evidence from the scene, which captured muffled gunshot sounds inside the dwelling prior to additional violence outside.
According to Police Chief Lorah, two women arrived at the house in a distressed state and pounded on the front door shortly after the initial shots were fired inside. Authorities stated that the gunman exited the residence and opened fire on the two women as they moved toward him, before returning back inside the home. The two victims killed outside were identified as 37-year-old Lora Roberts and 51-year-old Twila Tanner.
Official reports indicate that Tanner was the only victim killed in the tragic incident who was not a relative of the gunman. Coroner Cook released the names of the adult victims on Monday, Oct. 12, identifying 44-year-old Michelle Stone, 19-year-old Jonathan Stone, and 21-year-old Matthew Stone Jr. According to reporting from WBAL-TV, the three victims were the shooter's wife and two sons. Also killed inside the home was Stone's 24-year-old pregnant daughter, Angelina Stone, who was scheduled to be induced to give birth on Monday, Oct. 12.
The victims also included two young children, a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl. Coroner Cook explained that state law prevented the official release of the minors' names. However, during a memorial gathering, Julius Windham identified his 1-year-old daughter, Amarianna, as the toddler who died. Windham confirmed that Angelina Stone was Amarianna's mother as well as the mother of the 5-year-old boy who lost his life in the shooting. Lora Roberts was the sister of Michelle Stone and an aunt to Angelina Stone.
Family friend Nicole Eller shared that Roberts frequently visited the home to assist her niece during her pregnancy. Friends described Roberts as a mother of five who was engaged to be married and served as a dedicated volunteer and former board member for a local organization assisting homeless community members in Erie. In a social media post written on July 15, Roberts had expressed concern over local violence, urging community members to support one another and choose kindness.
Chief Lorah noted that law enforcement officers have not established a definitive motive for the killings, though authorities suggested that mental health issues may have played a factor. Police indicated plans to interview surviving family members and analyze cellphones belonging to the women killed outside the residence as the investigation continues.