NEED TO KNOW
- Angelina Stone was among the nine people killed in a mass shooting in Pennsylvania on Friday, Oct. 9
- A family friend said that Stone was just days from giving birth
- Investigators believe that the suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the incident, during which two children also died
A pregnant woman was among the nine people killed in a mass shooting in Pennsylvania.
Angelina Stone and her loved ones were identified as victims of the shooting that occurred at a home in Erie, Pa. around 5 p.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 9, according to CBS News.
The news outlet reported that Stone was just four days from giving birth. The victims also included her two children, brothers and a friend.
Family friend Lisa Simmers told CBS News, “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.”
She added, “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.”
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Simmers told Erie News Now that Stone had a “beautiful” family.
“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,” the friend said.
A GoFundMe has been created to raise funds for Stone and her children’s funeral arrangements. The fundraiser identifies Stone’s children as son Isiah, daughter Amari’anna and unborn baby Kyrie.
“We have no finances ready to cover this loss, and we have only two weeks from today to get everything done. The funds from this fundraiser will go toward funeral expenses and the fees related to their final arrangements so they can be sent off correctly. This is more than our family can carry alone right now, and we truly need the community to rally around us,” the description for the fundrasier reads.
PEOPLE reached out to the Erie County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, Oct. 11, but did not immediately hear back.
A press release on Saturday, Oct. 10 stated that police arrived on the scene within minutes of receiving the alert.
The nine deaths occurred before officers arrived, according to the investigation. There were no additional gunshots after police arrived.
“Our hearts remain with the victims, their loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss of life,” the City of Erie said in the release.
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Chief of Police Richard Lorah later said in a press conference that police found two deceased females outside the residence within minutes of arriving.
“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,” he said.
Based on evidence so far, investigators believe that the suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The nine dead individuals included eight family members and one family friend.
Lorah also stated that one of the victims was “eight months pregnant.”
Victims included a 51-year-old female and a 37-year-old female found outside the residence; a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl were found on the first floor, and a 24-year-old female, a 44-year-old female, a 19-year-old male and a 21-year-old male on the second floor and stairwell.
The suspected shooter, a 45-year-old, was found dead on the second floor with a firearm.
“Some scenes some scenes stay with you long after you leave them. This is one of those tragic scenes,” Lorah said.
Read the original article on People
This article originally appeared on People at https://people.com/pregnant-woman-was-days-from-giving-birth-when-she-was-killed-penn-mass-shooting-12169256