
The area around a Gastonia home is shown after Pamala Shanks was fatally struck by gunfire Monday afternoon. (Gastonia Police)
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GASTONIA, N.C. – A North Carolina woman was fatally struck by a stray bullet while sitting on her backyard porch Monday afternoon, investigators said.
Dig deeper:
Pamala Shanks, 68, was hit around 4:30 p.m. at a home on Hillgate Avenue in Gastonia, according to police. Investigators have not determined where the gunfire originated.

Police respond to a Gastonia, North Carolina, home where a woman was killed by a stray bullet while sitting on her back porch. (Gastonia Police)
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What they’re saying:
“She was on her (back) porch and not the intended target of the gun violence,” police said in an Oct. 19 news release. “No arrests have been made; Detectives are continuing their very robust investigation.”

Authorities investigate the scene where a 68-year-old woman was fatally struck by a stray bullet in Gastonia, North Carolina. (Gastonia Police)
Big picture view:
Maps show Shanks’ elevated back porch faces Laurel Lane, which is bordered by apartment and townhome communities. A lot with playground equipment is located directly across from the porch.
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Gastonia is about 20 miles west of uptown Charlotte.