Gaston County police charged Camryn Moore, 26, and Cory Armstrong, 29, with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder following a Thursday morning shooting at a Forbes Road residence that left two people dead and two others critically injured.
Officers responded to reports of gunfire at approximately 8:43 a.m. Thursday and found four family members suffering from gunshot wounds. Victoria "Heather" Moore, 50, and Megan "Josiah" Bumgardner, 38, were pronounced dead at the scene. The two surviving victims, whose identities have not been disclosed, remained in critical but stable condition as of Friday, according to police.
Investigators identified Moore as the daughter of Heather Moore and the niece of Bumgardner. Police stated that all individuals involved were known to one another and described the incident as an isolated event with no ongoing threat to the community.
Manhunt and arrest
Moore and Armstrong fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Authorities obtained warrants for their arrest by Thursday afternoon and launched a multi-state manhunt with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force. The search spanned multiple states overnight before concluding with a confrontation that resulted in additional gunfire.
No further details about the shooting’s motive or the circumstances of the final confrontation have been released by investigators. Police have not disclosed what may have triggered the violence.
The Gaston County Police Department continues to urge the public to avoid the suspects and report any sightings to authorities.