ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA / RankWire.AI / – A 45-year-old man killed eight people at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, before apparently killing himself, police said. The Friday shooting left nine people dead in total, including the gunman. The victims included a pregnant woman, a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said seven of the eight victims were related to the shooter. The remaining victim was a friend of the pregnant woman.
Police said the shooting unfolded shortly before 5 p.m. on Oct. 9 at a residence on Perry Street. Investigators recovered video and audio that captured muffled gunfire from inside the house. Two distressed women then arrived and began pounding on the door, according to police. The gunman came outside and shot both women as they moved toward him. He then returned to the residence. Officers reached the scene within minutes after a ShotSpotter gunfire alert.
Responding officers found the two women dead outside the home. Police first used a drone and robot before officers entered the building. Inside, they found the 5-year-old boy and 1-year-old girl on the first floor. Officers also found two women and two young men in a stairwell. The gunman was on the second floor with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities said every death occurred before officers arrived.
Police examine evidence as motive remains unknown
Investigators have not established a motive for the Erie mass shooting. Lorah said detectives planned to speak with relatives and examine phones belonging to the women killed outside. Police have not publicly released the gunman’s name. Authorities also have not publicly identified the victims. Lorah said investigators were working to determine what happened before the first shots. Officials have asked the public to avoid rumors and unverified information while the investigation continues.
Police also clarified reports of additional gunfire after officers reached the property. Lorah said sounds heard during the response came from flashbang devices used by SWAT officers. He said no additional shots were fired after police arrived. The clarification established that the killings had ended before the law enforcement response began. The Erie Police Department continued its investigation into the sequence of events and the relationships among those who died.
Pennsylvania officials offer support after Erie killings
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he spoke with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin after the shooting and offered state support. Devlin addressed the victims’ families during a Saturday news conference and said the community was grieving with them. Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz also urged residents not to spread speculation or unverified claims. Officials emphasized that investigators were still collecting evidence and had not announced a motive. Erie lies about 120 miles north of Pittsburgh in northwestern Pennsylvania.
By Sunday, mourners had placed flowers, candles and stuffed animals outside the Perry Street home. The memorial developed as relatives, friends and other community members gathered following the killings. Police confirmed that eight victims died in the attack and that the shooter also died. Authorities continued withholding the names of the gunman and victims while investigators reviewed evidence. The Erie Police Department has kept the case under investigation as the community mourns those killed in the shooting.