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Gastonia, Gaston County

Gastonia: 68-year-old woman killed by stray bullet on her porch, police say

Gastonia police identified Pamala Shanks, 68, in an Oct. 19 news release and said she was hit on her back porch. They said she was not the intended target. No arrest has been announced.

DevelopingOfficials are still releasing information. We update this story as facts are confirmed.

By Triangle Local Newsroom · Published

What we know

Confirmed

  • Gastonia police said in an Oct. 19, 2026, news release that a 68-year-old woman was killed Monday afternoon while she was on her back porch.Confirmed by Gastonia Police Department Oct. 19 news release, as quoted by the Charlotte Observer
  • The release identified her as Pamala Shanks. The Charlotte Observer, citing that release, said the shooting happened around 4:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, in the 1900 block of Hillgate Avenue. We are reporting the block, not a house number.Confirmed by Gastonia Police Department Oct. 19 news release, as quoted by the Charlotte Observer
  • The department's release said she "was on her (back) porch and not the intended target of the gun violence." It also said, "No arrests have been made; Detectives are continuing their very robust investigation."Confirmed by Gastonia Police Department Oct. 19 news release, as quoted by the Charlotte Observer
  • WBTV, WSOC, WCNC and WCCB independently reported that Shanks was hit on her porch, that Gastonia officers said she was not the person anyone meant to shoot, and that no one has been named or taken into custody.Confirmed by WBTV; WSOC; WCNC; WCCB
  • WCNC, citing the Gastonia Police Department, placed the shooting on Hillgate Avenue near Robinwood Road. WBTV's first Monday-evening report described officers at a home on Hillgate Avenue off Robinwood Road, near the Dwell Townhomes.Confirmed by WCNC, citing Gastonia Police Department; WBTV Oct. 19 scene report
  • As of Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 20, WBTV reported that detectives were still trying to learn how many people fired and who the intended target was, and that no arrest had been announced.Confirmed by WBTV
  • Several television newsrooms spelled her first name Pamela. We are using Pamala, the spelling the Observer attributed to the Oct. 19 release.Confirmed by Charlotte Observer (Pamala, citing the department release); WBTV, WSOC and WCNC (Pamela); WCCB (Pamala)
  • Anyone with information can call Gastonia police at 704-866-3300, the non-emergency number on the city's contact page, or CrimeStoppers of Gaston County at 704-861-8000. CrimeStoppers says tips can stay anonymous.Confirmed by City of Gastonia contact page; CrimeStoppers of Gaston County

Alleged or reported

  • Shanks was not the intended target of the gunfire.Gastonia Police Department Oct. 19 news release, as quoted by the Charlotte Observer. That is the department's account. Detectives have not said who they believe was targeted. No one has been charged. A charge is an accusation, and anyone later charged would be presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court

Still unknown

  • Who fired, how many people fired, and who the intended target was
  • What led to the shooting
  • Whether anyone has been identified, arrested or charged
  • Whether the department has posted the Oct. 19 release on its own website (we did not find it there Wednesday morning)
  • Whether her first name is spelled Pamala, as the Observer attributed to the release, or Pamela, as several television newsrooms used

What this means for you

Public safety
Gastonia police have not named a suspect. Do not approach anyone you think is involved. This story is not an official or emergency notice. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Instructions from City of Gastonia contact page; CrimeStoppers of Gaston County

Tips can go to Gastonia police at 704-866-3300, the non-emergency number on the city's contact page, or to CrimeStoppers of Gaston County at 704-861-8000. CrimeStoppers says tips can stay anonymous.

What happened

In Gastonia, gunfire killed a 68-year-old woman Monday afternoon at the rear of her home, according to a Gastonia Police Department news release dated Oct. 19.

The Charlotte Observer published that account on Wednesday. It identified the woman as Pamala Shanks and put the time around 4:30 p.m. Monday in the 1900 block of Hillgate Avenue. We are reporting the block, not a house number.

The department wrote that she "was on her (back) porch and not the intended target of the gun violence." That statement also reported that no arrests had been made and that detectives were still investigating.

WBTV, WSOC, WCNC and WCCB independently confirmed the same core facts: Shanks was hit outside her home, Gastonia officers described her as someone the gunfire was not meant for, and nobody has been identified or taken into custody.

Several television newsrooms spelled her first name Pamela. We are using Pamala, the spelling the Observer attributed to the department. We will correct it if the city posts the release on its own site with a different spelling.

WCNC, citing officers, placed the shooting near Robinwood Road. Maps in the Observer story show the porch facing Laurel Lane, which is lined with apartments and townhomes. WBTV's first Monday-evening dispatch described crews at a residence off Robinwood Road, near the Dwell Townhomes.

As of Tuesday afternoon, WBTV reported that detectives were still trying to learn how many people fired and whom the shots were meant for. No arrest had been announced.

We did not find that Oct. 19 statement on the city's police pages when we checked Wednesday morning. Until the department posts it there, we are relying on the Observer's quotation, checked against the television reports.

No one has been named or charged. A charge is an accusation. Anyone later charged is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

What we don't know yet

Officials have not said who fired, whom they believe was targeted, or what led to the gunfire. They have not described anyone they want the public to look for.

Timeline

  • Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, about 4:30 p.m.: Shanks is killed behind her home in the 1900 block of Hillgate Avenue (Gastonia police, via the Charlotte Observer).
  • Monday evening: WBTV reports a large police presence off Robinwood Road. WSOC reports officers at a townhome complex west of that road.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 20: WBTV reports no arrest and that detectives are still working to identify who fired and who was targeted.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 21: The Observer publishes the department's written account, including Shanks's name and the line that she was not the person anyone meant to shoot.

Safety

This story is not an official or emergency notice. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. Do not approach anyone you think is involved.

Tips

Anyone with information can call Gastonia police at 704-866-3300, the non-emergency number listed on the city's contact page, or CrimeStoppers of Gaston County at 704-861-8000. CrimeStoppers says tips can stay anonymous.

Photos

Text-only. Gastonia police have not released an official photo we can use. We are not using family pictures or photos from other newsrooms.

Why it matters

A 68-year-old woman was killed on her Gastonia porch by gunfire the department says was not aimed at her. No arrest has been announced. Readers need a clear account of what Gastonia police have confirmed and that this site is not an emergency service.

Updates

  1. Oct 21, 2026, 10:00 AM

    The Charlotte Observer publishes the Gastonia Police Department's Oct. 19 news release, naming Pamala Shanks, 68, and quoting the department as saying she was on her back porch and not the intended target. No arrests have been made.

  2. Oct 20, 2026, 3:31 PM

    WBTV reports Gastonia police said Shanks was not the intended target and that no arrest had been made as of Tuesday afternoon. Detectives were still trying to learn who fired and who was targeted.

  3. Oct 19, 2026, 4:30 PM

    Gastonia police, in an Oct. 19 news release later quoted by the Charlotte Observer, say a 68-year-old woman was killed on her back porch around 4:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of Hillgate Avenue.

Sources

  1. Gastonia Police Department Oct. 19 news release, as quoted by the Charlotte Observer: Pamala Shanks, 68, killed around 4:30 p.m. Monday on her back porch in the 1900 block of Hillgate Avenue; she was not the intended target of the gun violence; no arrests; detectives continuing the investigation

    Official sourcePublished by Gastonia Police Department, via the Charlotte Observer · Checked Oct 21, 2026, 10:52 AM

  2. Woman fatally shot while on back porch in Gastonia was not intended target, police say (WBTV: Dwell Townhomes on Hillgate Avenue; porch backs up to Laurel Lane; Gastonia police said Shanks was not the intended target of the gun violence; no arrest as of Tuesday afternoon)

    Published by WBTV · Checked Oct 21, 2026, 10:52 AM

  3. Niece remembers Gastonia woman killed by stray bullet (WBTV: Gastonia police confirmed 68-year-old Pamela Shanks was not the intended target; on her back porch; detectives working to determine how many people fired around 4:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19; no arrest as of Tuesday afternoon)

    Published by WBTV · Checked Oct 21, 2026, 10:52 AM

  4. A sweet woman: 68-year-old shot, killed while sitting on porch in Gastonia (WSOC: Gastonia Police Department responded to a shooting at a townhome complex west of Robinwood Road on Hillgate Avenue; victim identified as 68-year-old Pamela Shanks; department said no suspects in custody)

    Published by WSOC · Checked Oct 21, 2026, 10:52 AM

  5. Woman killed in Gastonia shooting was not the intended target, police say (WCNC, citing Gastonia Police Department: Hillgate Avenue near Robinwood Road; Pamela Shanks, 68, found dead in a home on the street; not the intended target; no suspects arrested or named)

    Published by WCNC · Checked Oct 21, 2026, 10:52 AM

  6. Gastonia Police: 68-year-old woman killed in shooting was innocent bystander (WCCB: Pamala Shanks; standing on her back porch; not the intended target; Hillgate Avenue; police still searching for the shooters)

    Published by WCCB · Checked Oct 21, 2026, 10:52 AM

  7. Heavy police presence forms at Gastonia home after reported shooting (WBTV Oct. 19: just after 6 p.m., Gastonia police responded to a shooting at a home on Hillgate Avenue off Robinwood Road, near the Dwell Townhomes)

    Published by WBTV · Checked Oct 21, 2026, 10:52 AM

  8. City of Gastonia Police Department contact page (non-emergency 704-866-3300; front desk 704-866-6702; emergencies 911). No Oct. 19 Hillgate Avenue release was posted there when checked.

    Official sourcePublished by City of Gastonia · Checked Oct 21, 2026, 10:52 AM

  9. CrimeStoppers of Gaston County (anonymous tip line 704-861-8000; Gastonia Police Department listed among agencies that receive tips)

    Official sourcePublished by CrimeStoppers of Gaston County · Checked Oct 21, 2026, 10:52 AM

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