Nine people, including two small children and an armed suspect, are dead following a mass shooting and subsequent police standoff on the East Side of Erie, Pennsylvania, on Friday evening, according to local authorities and law enforcement sources.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the 700 block of Perry Street, near East 7th and East 8th streets, around 4:50 p.m. following multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire. Arriving officers discovered two women dead in the roadway outside a residence before surrounding the house where the gunman had barricaded himself.
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the tragedy as the most harrowing incident he has encountered in nearly three decades on the force, noting that the loss of life inside and outside the home was staggering.
According to preliminary police reports and eyewitness accounts, the incident began when a man opened fire with a handgun in front of a home at 722 Perry Street:
After securing an emergency search warrant, tactical officers breached the residence and moved through the home.
Upon entering, officers discovered a catastrophic scene spanning at least two floors of the residence.
Sources confirmed that several additional victims were found deceased in different areas of the house, including two young children. Local reports also indicated that one of the deceased victims was pregnant at the time of the attack.
The suspected shooter was found dead inside the home from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“It’s a horrific scene,” Chief Lorah told reporters Friday night. “There was a large loss of life inside that residence and outside that residence. Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this tragedy. There are no words that can adequately express the magnitude of the loss of life here.”
The City of Erie and Mayor Daria Devlin issued a joint statement to reassure the public that the danger had been contained:
“Tonight, a terrible tragedy occurred near 7th and Perry Streets in Erie, resulting in multiple deaths. We understand that this news brings deep shock and sorrow to our residents, and we want to assure the public that the situation has been contained. The shooter is deceased, and there is no ongoing threat or danger to the public at this time.”
The Erie County Coroner’s Office and major crimes investigators remained on the scene throughout Friday night and into Saturday morning to process evidence and begin the process of formally identifying the deceased.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims or the shooter pending next-of-kin notifications. Police noted that the relationship between the gunman and the victims, as well as any potential motive, remains under active investigation. Department officials confirmed that psychological counseling services are being provided to all responding officers and first responders who worked the scene.