Lora Roberts, 37, and Twila Tanner, 51, went to a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, hoping to protect someone they cared about. On October 9, their attempt to help ended in tragedy when they became two of nine people killed in a devastating shooting. Roberts was a devoted mother of five who had been engaged to her longtime fiancé, Jeremy, for 14 years. Tanner was a beloved mother and grandmother whose sudden loss has left her family heartbroken. As tributes poured in, loved ones remembered Roberts as a “beautiful soul” and Tanner as a woman who showed remarkable courage. Fundraising campaigns created after their deaths revealed that the two friends had reportedly gone to the residence because Roberts wanted to help her niece escape an abusive situation. Tanner accompanied her friend rather than leaving her to face the situation alone. Their families’ accounts have brought a deeply personal dimension to the tragedy, revealing that the women were trying to protect someone vulnerable when they entered the home.

Police were alerted shortly before 5 p.m. after a gunshot-detection system registered activity near the Perry Street residence. Officers later discovered nine victims and the suspected gunman, who authorities said had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators began reviewing evidence, speaking with witnesses, and examining the circumstances that brought Roberts and Tanner to the property. Police Chief Rick Lorah said investigators believed the women may have known something was wrong, although officials were still working to establish what they knew before arriving. The loss has devastated two families: Roberts left behind five children and her fiancé, while Tanner’s children and grandchildren now face life without her. Online fundraisers were launched to help cover funeral costs and support the families through the financial strain of their sudden losses. The wider tragedy also claimed the lives of family members, including 24-year-old Angelina Stone, who was eight months pregnant, and her two young children. As the Erie community mourns, the final actions of Roberts and Tanner remain a heartbreaking reminder of the risks they took while trying to help someone else.