Erie Family Shooting Leaves Nine Dead as Investigators Search for a Motive
Bharatmorning.com – A devastating shooting at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, left nine people dead on Friday, October 9, including the suspected gunman, members of his immediate family, two young children and two women who had come to check on relatives.
Police identified 45-year-old Matthew Stone as the suspected shooter. Authorities said Stone died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the killings. Investigators have not publicly identified a motive, and the circumstances that led to the violence remain under examination.
What happened at the Perry Street home
The shooting unfolded at a residence on Perry Street at about 5 p.m. local time. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said officers arrived within minutes, but all nine deaths had occurred before police reached the scene. Authorities said no additional gunfire was heard after officers arrived.
Stone was found with a handgun registered in his name. Seven of the eight other people killed were related to him, while the remaining victim was described as a family friend.
Police found two women dead outside the house. Inside, a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl were found on the first floor. Four adults were located on the second floor and in the stairwell.
“Some scenes stay with you long after you leave them. This is one of those tragic scenes.”
Lorah said video reviewed by investigators showed two women arriving at the property after becoming concerned about people inside. The footage appeared to show them hearing signs of distress, seeking help from neighbors and striking the door. Investigators believe muffled gunfire could be heard from inside before the suspect came outside and fatally shot them.
“Video evidence reviewed by investigators shows those two women arriving at the residence, hearing distress, seeking assistance from neighbors and pounding on the door. The audio video also appears to capture muffled gunfire from inside the residence before the suspect emerged and fatally shot both women.”
Who Matthew Stone was
Matthew Stone was described by relatives as the patriarch of the family. He was married to 44-year-old Michelle Stone and was the father of Angelina Stone, 24; Matthew Stone II, 19; and Jonathan Stone, 21.
Authorities have not said what may have prompted the alleged attack. That unanswered question remains central to the investigation as police work to reconstruct the events inside and outside the residence.
The suspected gunman is believed to have killed his wife, the couple’s three adult children, two grandchildren, and Angelina Stone’s unborn child before shooting himself. The violence also claimed the lives of Michelle Stone’s sister, Lora Roberts, 37, and family friend Twila Tanner, 51.
Victims included young children and an unborn baby
The victims included Angelina Stone, who was also known online as Dej Shanti. Her children, 5-year-old Isiah Hodges and 22-month-old Amari’anna, were also killed. Angelina was pregnant with a boy she planned to name Kyrie and was only four days away from giving birth.
Michelle Stone, Matthew Stone II, Jonathan Stone, Roberts and Tanner also died in the shooting.
The deaths of the children and the unborn baby have intensified the grief surrounding the case. Friends remembered Angelina as a mother preparing to welcome another child while caring for two very young children.
“She was pregnant, about to have her baby in a couple of days. She had a daughter that was almost two, and her son Isiah, who I believe was like four or five, and they were all just beautiful. Beautiful children. And definitely did not deserve what happened to them.”
Lisa Simmers, a family friend, spoke of the horror felt by those who gathered outside the home without knowing the full scale of what was happening within.
“It’s mind-blowing to me to understand what was happening in that house while we were standing outside. The feeling of helplessness and knowing we couldn’t do anything and she was right there.”
Simmers also mourned Angelina’s children, describing them as innocent victims of an incomprehensible act.
“Her two babies were on the spectrum. Innocent children, couldn’t have told on that man if they wanted to, and he still killed them.”
Investigation remains ongoing
Police continue to review evidence and determine the sequence of events. The case has shaken the Erie community because nearly all of those killed were connected through one family, while Roberts and Tanner were killed after approaching the home out of concern for loved ones.
As investigators seek answers, the immediate focus remains on the victims: a mother, adult children, grandchildren, an unborn child, a relative and a family friend. The absence of a publicly disclosed motive has left relatives and the wider community confronting both overwhelming loss and unanswered questions.
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