As many as nine people were killed, including two children and a pregnant woman, when a gunman opened fire in a suspected murder-suicide at a Pennsylvania home on Friday night, October 9, officials said. Around 5 pm on the day of the tragedy, police responded to reports of a shooting at a home in the city of Erie. They discovered two women fatally shot in the road outside the house, along with six additional victims and the deceased suspect.
The tragedy took place on the 700 block of Perry Street, located on Erie’s East Side.
“It was horrific. It was the worst scene I have ever experienced,” Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said at a press conference.
“We said that there were a devastating amount of people inside there. There’s more than five. We were not sure at that point we could say ten because one of those individuals is pregnant,” he added.
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Lorah confirmed that of the nine people who died, eight were related to each other, including the shooter. One of the victims killed outside was a family friend.
“I think that mental health is at play here,” said Lorah. “I think it’s too soon to really go into a motive at this time.”
What we know about the victims
The victims of the tragedy included a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl on the first floor; two women, including a 24-year-old and a 44-year-old, and two men, ages 19 and 21, in the second-floor stairwell. Meanwhile, two women, 51 ans 37, were found outside.
The suspect, identified as a 45-year-old man, reportedly shot himself later. A firearm was subsequently found on him.
Lorah confirmed that no gunshots were fired after officers arrived, adding that loud noises heard during the police response were from flashbang devices used by the SWAT team.
Police said camera footage they recovered from a next-door neighbor’s home showed two women arriving at the house, appearing to be panicking and in distress. They were seen pacing and pounding on the door to get someone’s attention.
“We received a Ring doorbell camera from a residence right next door that also records audio,” said Lorah.
“And in that is where we were able to see those two females pacing back and forth outside the residence, they were trying to get neighbor’s attention, they were pounding on the door,” he added. “We hear what we believe to be what we assume to be muffled gunshots in that audio, very faintly, scream, and a few shots fired and that’s where we believe those two outside victims were hit.”
Erie mayor Daria Devlin expressed her condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the tragedy.
“I want to start by speaking directly to the families who lost loved ones last night. I am so deeply sorry,” Mayor Devlin said, per the New York Post. “What happened was horrific, and I know there is nothing I can say today that will make this any easier. But I want you to know that our entire community is thinking of you, grieving with you, and here to support you.”
Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz urged the public not to spread misinformation about the incident.
“As the investigation continues, I want to make an important appeal to our community,” said Hirz. “Please do not allow rumors, speculation, or unverified information to add to the pain these families are already experiencing.”