Erie Grandfather Kills 9 Then Himself; Two Women Died Rushing In to Save Relatives
A horrific murder-suicide unfolded at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, on the night of Friday, October 9: a 45-year-old grandfather shot and killed nine people — including two children and a pregnant woman — before turning the gun on himself. Police Chief Lora said the investigation continues and the motive will not be discussed yet, though mental health may have been a factor.
On October 12, fundraising pages identified two of the victims: 37-year-old Laura Roberts and 51-year-old Twila Tanner. The two friends rushed into the home while the shooting was underway, trying to rescue Roberts's niece, and were both fatally shot — believed to be the last two people killed before the gunman took his own life. Roberts was a mother of five, engaged to her fiancé for 14 years; Tanner "bravely helped her friend protect her family from violence" and is survived by children and grandchildren.
Erie Mayor Daria Devlin offered condolences to the victims' families at a news conference on October 10: "What happened is horrifying, and the entire community grieves with you." Police said they will interview relatives and examine the phone of a woman killed outside the home to determine what happened inside before the shooting.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 宾州伊利市湖滨与市中心，Cards84664 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）
