Two of the nine people killed in a mass shooting in Erie, Pennsylvania, have been identified as friends who ran to the scene in an attempt to stop the violence before they were shot and killed themselves.
Lora Roberts, 37, and Twila Tanner, 51, rushed to a home on Perry Road on Friday night after hearing gunshots, trying to reach Roberts’ niece inside, according to online fundraising campaigns set up for the two families. A 45-year-old grandfather is accused of killing nine people, including two young children and his pregnant daughter, before turning the gun on himself.
Video and audio evidence gathered by investigators shows the two women pounding on the door of the home as gunfire continued inside. The gunman is said to have come outside and shot both women before going back in and killing himself.
Roberts, a mother of five, was engaged to her fiancé of 14 years. A GoFundMe set up for her family says her death has left loved ones “facing heartbreak as well as immediate financial needs during an unimaginable time.”
Tanner, who leaves behind children and grandchildren, was described in a separate fundraiser as having been “bravely trying to help a friend protect her family from a violent and dangerous individual.”
The two women are believed to have been the final victims killed before the shooter died by suicide.
Among the other victims was Angelina Stone, the gunman’s pregnant daughter, who was just days from giving birth to a third child she planned to name Kyrie. Stone’s two other children, 5-year-old Isiah and nearly 2-year-old Amari’anna, were also killed.
Police have not yet publicly identified the remaining victims, saying they are still working to notify next of kin. Officers said that all nine victims, with the exception of a family friend believed to be Tanner, were relatives of the shooter.
Authorities have not announced a motive for the attack. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said he believes “mental health is at play here.”
Both families have asked for donations to help cover funeral expenses as they grieve.
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