GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A deadly shooting at a Forbes Road residence has left Victoria “Heather” Moore, 50, and Josiah Bumgardner, 38, dead, while two other people remain hospitalized after suffering life-threatening injuries.
The shooting happened Thursday morning, September 10, 2026, at a residence in southern Gaston County. Police responding to the home found four people suffering from gunshot wounds. Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others were transported to CaroMont Regional Medical Center in critical but stable condition.
The investigation later led authorities to identify Camryn Moore, 26, and Cory Armstrong, 29, as suspects. Warrants were obtained charging both with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder.
The suspects fled North Carolina and were located in Ohio the following day, where a police pursuit ended in a crash and both were found dead inside the vehicle.
Forbes Road Shooting Leaves Two Dead
Gaston County Police said officers were dispatched to 2661 Forbes Road at approximately 8:43 a.m. Thursday after receiving a report of a shooting inside the residence.
When officers arrived, they found four people suffering from gunshot wounds.
Police immediately secured the scene and began providing emergency assistance while awaiting fire and EMS personnel.
Two victims died at the residence. The other two were taken to CaroMont Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. They were later described as being in critical but stable condition.
The shooting prompted a major law-enforcement response as detectives began processing the residence and attempting to determine what had led to the violence.
Victoria “Heather” Moore and Josiah Bumgardner Identified
The two people killed in the shooting were initially identified in some police reporting as Victoria “Heather” Moore, 50, and Megan “Josiah” Moore, 38.
However, WSOC-TV later reported that the family provided additional information and identified the second victim as Josiah Bumgardner. The earlier identification was subsequently corrected.
Heather Moore and Bumgardner were pronounced dead at the residence.
Their deaths have left relatives, friends and others who knew them facing the sudden loss of two members of their community.
Beyond the circumstances of the shooting, their lives were defined by family relationships, friendships and personal experiences that cannot be captured by a police report.
Two Other Victims Remain Hospitalized
Two additional people were wounded in the shooting.
Both were transported to CaroMont Regional Medical Center with injuries initially described as life-threatening.
Authorities later reported that the two surviving victims remained in critical but stable condition.
Their identities have not been broadly released in the available official information.
The condition of the surviving victims remains an important part of the continuing investigation as authorities work to establish exactly what happened inside the home.
Police Say the People Involved Knew One Another
Gaston County Police said investigators believed the people involved in the shooting knew one another.
Authorities initially described the incident as isolated and said there was no known ongoing threat to the wider Gaston County community.
Police have not publicly established a motive for the shooting.
The investigation therefore continues to focus on the relationships between those involved and the events that preceded the gunfire.
Camryn Moore and Cory Armstrong Named as Suspects
Investigators identified Camryn Moore, 26, and Cory Armstrong, 29, as suspects in connection with the shooting.
Police said both suspects lived at the Forbes Road residence and fled the area following the incident.
Detectives obtained warrants charging each suspect with:
- Two counts of first-degree murder
- Two counts of attempted first-degree murder
The U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force assisted Gaston County investigators in tracking the pair after they left North Carolina.
The search continued across multiple states.
Suspects Located in Ohio
The investigation eventually led authorities to southern Ohio.
On Friday morning, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers located the vehicle associated with Moore and Armstrong outside Athens, Ohio.
A trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle failed to stop.
The incident then developed into a pursuit involving multiple counties.
Authorities continued pursuing the vehicle as officers attempted to bring the situation to an end safely.
Ohio Pursuit Ends After Vehicle Crash
The pursuit lasted more than 20 minutes before law enforcement deployed tire-deflation devices.
According to authorities, the vehicle swerved in an effort to avoid the devices and subsequently crashed.
The vehicle struck a road sign before coming to a stop near Hiram West Road in Jackson County.
Following the crash, officers reported hearing two gunshots from inside the vehicle.
Authorities then used a drone to examine the vehicle before approaching.
Moore and Armstrong were subsequently found dead inside the vehicle.
How Did the Suspects Die?
The circumstances surrounding the deaths of Moore and Armstrong remain under investigation.
Authorities reported that both men had suffered gunshot wounds and that officers heard two gunshots after the vehicle crashed.
Importantly, officials have not publicly established who fired those shots.
WSOC reported that authorities had not determined who pulled the trigger.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the deaths and the circumstances surrounding the pursuit.
Authorities have also said that law enforcement did not fire shots during the incident.
Because the investigation remains active, it would be premature to state as fact that either suspect shot the other or that the deaths were a murder-suicide.
No Other Injuries Reported During Pursuit
The Ohio pursuit ended with the deaths of Moore and Armstrong, but authorities reported no other injuries resulting from the chase.
The investigation now includes the circumstances of the pursuit, the crash and the gunshots heard afterward.
Investigators will need to reconstruct the sequence of events and examine evidence from the vehicle and crash scene before making a final determination about what happened.
What Led to the Gaston County Shooting?
The motive for the original shooting has not been publicly established.
Police have said the people involved knew one another and initially characterized the incident as isolated, but authorities have not released a detailed explanation of what led to the gunfire.
The investigation remains active.
Detectives are continuing to examine evidence and circumstances surrounding the Forbes Road shooting while the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigates the later deaths of the two suspects.
A Tragedy That Crossed State Lines
The case has affected communities in both North Carolina and Ohio.
What began as a shooting investigation at a Gaston County residence quickly became a multi-state search involving local investigators, federal marshals and state law-enforcement agencies.
The search ended in southern Ohio with another two deaths.
For the families of Heather Moore and Josiah Bumgardner, the focus is now on grieving their loved ones and supporting the two other victims who remain hospitalized.
For investigators, important questions remain about the events that led to the shooting and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the suspects.
Gaston County Shooting Investigation Continues
Gaston County Police continue investigating the original shooting.
Authorities have asked anyone with information about the incident to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers.
The department has emphasized that the investigation remains active and that additional information may be released as detectives establish more details.
The case remains subject to further developments, particularly as investigators work to understand the relationship between the people involved and the events preceding the shooting.
Remembering Heather Moore and Josiah Bumgardner
For the families of Victoria “Heather” Moore and Josiah Bumgardner, the investigation is only one part of the tragedy.
They are now facing the loss of two people whose lives extended far beyond the circumstances of their deaths.
Family members and friends may remember them through ordinary moments, conversations, celebrations, shared experiences and the relationships they built over the years.
Those memories become especially significant following a sudden loss.
While investigators continue working to establish the facts, those who knew Heather and Josiah are left to remember the people they were and the place they held in the lives of others.
What We Know About the Forbes Road Shooting
The currently reported information includes:
- Victoria “Heather” Moore: 50, deceased
- Josiah Bumgardner: 38, deceased
- Location: 2661 Forbes Road, Gaston County, North Carolina
- Date: September 10, 2026
- Initial police response: Approximately 8:43 a.m.
- People shot: Four
- Fatalities: Two
- Other victims: Two hospitalized in critical but stable condition
- Suspects: Camryn Moore, 26, and Cory Armstrong, 29
- Charges obtained: Two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder for each suspect
- Search: Assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force
- Ohio development: Suspect vehicle located outside Athens
- Pursuit: Multi-county pursuit
- Crash: Vehicle crashed after attempting to avoid tire-deflation devices
- After crash: Officers reported hearing two gunshots
- Suspects: Found deceased inside the vehicle
- Motive: Not publicly established
- Ohio deaths: Under investigation
A Community Left to Grieve
The Gaston County shooting has left families and the wider community confronting an unexpected and devastating loss.
Heather Moore and Josiah Bumgardner were killed during an incident that also left two other people seriously injured.
The subsequent search for the suspects and their deaths in Ohio added another layer to an already complex investigation.
Authorities in North Carolina and Ohio continue working to establish the full sequence of events.
For those who knew Heather and Josiah, however, their lives cannot be reduced to the circumstances of the shooting.
They will be remembered through the people they loved, the relationships they built and the memories they leave behind.
Final Tribute to Victoria “Heather” Moore and Josiah Bumgardner
The deaths of Victoria “Heather” Moore, 50, and Josiah Bumgardner, 38, have left the Gaston County community mourning following the September 10 shooting on Forbes Road.
Four people were shot inside the residence. Heather and Josiah died at the scene, while two others were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and remained in critical but stable condition.
Investigators later identified Camryn Moore and Cory Armstrong as suspects and obtained murder and attempted-murder warrants against them.
The pair fled North Carolina and were located in Ohio the following day. A police pursuit ended in a crash, after which officers reported hearing two gunshots and found both suspects dead inside the vehicle.
Authorities have not publicly determined who fired the shots in the Ohio vehicle, and the circumstances surrounding those deaths remain under investigation.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the Forbes Road shooting continues, with no public motive established.
For the families and friends of Heather Moore and Josiah Bumgardner, the most important part of the days ahead will be remembering their loved ones and supporting one another through an extraordinarily painful loss.
May Victoria “Heather” Moore and Josiah Bumgardner be remembered with dignity and compassion, and may their families, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy find strength and comfort in the memories they shared with them.