PENNSYLVANIA, United States – Eight people, including two young children and a pregnant woman, were shot and killed at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, on October 9 before the suspected gunman died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said Saturday.
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah confirmed at an October 10 news conference that nine people died in total, including the 45-year-old suspect. Seven of the eight victims were related to the suspected gunman, while the eighth was a family friend.
The victims included a 5-year-old boy, a 1-year-old girl and six adults. Police said one of the women killed was eight months pregnant.
The shooting occurred at a residence near Seventh and Perry streets in the northwestern Pennsylvania city. Investigators have not established a motive, and authorities said the investigation remains active.
Police describe events before the shooting
According to Lorah, investigators reviewed doorbell-camera footage and audio recordings that helped establish what happened shortly before officers were called to the residence.
The evidence showed two distressed women arriving at the home shortly before 5 p.m. and knocking on the door. Police identified the women by their relationship to the household, describing one as a sister-in-law and the other as a family friend.
Lorah said investigators believe the suspected gunman came outside, called toward the women and shot them as they tried to flee. Both women died outside the residence.
Investigators believe the gunman then returned inside, where other victims were later discovered.
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Police have not publicly established what led to the confrontation or why the suspect allegedly attacked members of his family and their friend.
Two children among victims found inside
After entering the residence, police discovered the bodies of six victims inside the home.
The two children, a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl, were found on the first floor.
Four additional victims were found near a second-floor stairwell. Police identified their ages as 19, 21, 24 and 44.
One of the women found inside was eight months pregnant, according to Lorah.
The suspected gunman was also found dead on the second floor. Police said his wound appeared to have been self-inflicted.
Authorities have not publicly identified all the victims or the suspected gunman in the official information reviewed for this article.
The confirmed death toll of nine people includes the suspect, resolving uncertainty in early reports about whether nine victims had been killed in addition to the gunman.
Police say all deaths occurred before officers arrived
Erie police responded shortly before 5 p.m. on October 9 after receiving an alert from the ShotSpotter gunshot-detection system.
The City of Erie said officers arrived within minutes and began assessing the situation. They had limited information about the number of people inside the residence and whether an armed suspect still posed a threat.
A tactical team was subsequently deployed. Officers continued gathering information and obtained a search warrant before entering the building.
In an official statement issued October 10, the city clarified that all nine deaths occurred before officers arrived. Authorities also said no additional gunshots were fired after police reached the scene.
The statement addressed speculation that the deaths might have occurred during a prolonged police standoff or because officers delayed entering the property.
City officials said sounds heard during the police operation that may have been mistaken for gunfire were flash-bang devices used by tactical officers.
The clarification establishes the police account of the response timeline. It does not determine the motive or explain every event that occurred inside the residence before officers arrived.
Investigators examine evidence and family relationships
Police are continuing to reconstruct the events leading up to the shooting.
Lorah said investigators planned to speak with additional relatives and examine the mobile phones belonging to the two women killed outside the home.
Those steps may help establish why the women arrived at the residence and whether communications before the shooting provide information about the circumstances.
Investigators have not announced a motive. The available evidence does not establish that a particular family dispute, personal grievance or other explanation caused the killings.
Police also have not announced evidence of additional suspects or an ongoing threat to the public.
The investigation remains focused on establishing the sequence of events and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Erie and Pennsylvania officials respond
Erie Mayor Daria Devlin expressed condolences to the victims’ families and acknowledged the impact of the shooting on the community.
City officials also defended the police response while urging residents not to spread unverified accounts of the incident.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he had spoken with Devlin and offered support from his administration.
Shapiro expressed sympathy for the victims’ loved ones and the wider Erie community.
Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz also urged the public to avoid spreading rumors while investigators continued gathering evidence.
The city warned that speculation could cause further distress to grieving families, create unnecessary fear and complicate the work of emergency responders.
Investigation continues as community mourns
The shooting left eight victims dead across three generations of a family and their wider circle, including two young children and a pregnant woman.
The police briefing provided a clearer account of the number of victims, their relationships to the suspected gunman and the response by officers. However, the central question of why the killings occurred remains unanswered.
Investigators are continuing to examine recordings, communications and witness information. Any further identification of the victims or explanation of the motive will require confirmation from authorities.
For now, police have confirmed nine deaths, including the suspected gunman, and said there is no continuing threat connected to the incident.
Reporting Credit: Erie Police Department; City of Erie; Erie County District Attorney’s Office; Office of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
