Erie Gunman Kills Seven Relatives and Friend, Police Say
A gunman killed eight people at an Erie, Pennsylvania, home Friday before shooting himself. The coroner identified him Monday as Matthew Stone Sr., 45.
- Seven victims were Stone's relatives, including his wife and two grandchildren.
- 24-year-old Angelina Stone, his daughter, was eight months pregnant.
- Two women arriving at the house were shot outside.
- Police recovered a handgun legally registered to Stone.
Why it matters: Police are treating the killings as a domestic case because most victims were related and shared the home. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said mental health may have played a role.
- Victims named: Michelle, Angelina, Jonathan and Matthew Stone Jr.
- Also killed: Lora Roberts, 37, and Twila Tanner, 51.
How 13 sources split on this story
Where they split: Outlets agree on the facts but differ on the count: The Daily Wire counts the unborn baby as a ninth victim, while AP and USA Today report eight.
Center coverage, 6 sources: The center focuses on the official record: names, the timeline, the legally registered handgun and the domestic investigation.
Left coverage, 2 sources: The left centers the identification of the victims, including Lora Roberts, who had posted publicly against Erie's shootings.
Right coverage, 5 sources: The right emphasizes the pregnant victim and the family betrayal, with The Daily Wire counting the unborn child among the dead.
What’s next: Lorah said investigators will speak with relatives and examine the phones of the two women killed outside.
- State law bars the coroner from naming the two children killed.
- What did the two women who came to the door know was happening inside?
- What was Stone's 2022 interaction with police?
- What, if anything, signaled the change friends described in Stone?
