ERIE, Pa. —
The City of Erie hosted a press conference on Saturday after a shooting on Friday where nine people, including the gunman, died.
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said police responded to the home near 7th and Perry Streets on Friday around 4:55 p.m. after receiving a ShotSpotter alert.
They found a 51-year-old woman and a 37-year-old woman dead outside of the home.
Video surveillance from a neighbor later showed that the women had appeared distressed when they arrived outside of the residence and knocked on neighbors’ doors, trying to get the attention of outsiders.
Police say the suspect appears to then call to the women before shooting them.
When officers arrived on the scene, they were met with what Lorah described as an “eerie silence.”
Officers did not know whether the suspect or anyone else remained inside of the home. They were unable to establish contact with anyone while waiting to receive a search warrant for the home.
A SWAT team and a robot later located a victim inside the home and police decided to go in.
Eight of the victims were related
Police found nine victims, who had been shot before police arrived at the scene.
The six victims found inside the home include:
A 1-year-old girl A 5-year-old boy A 24-year-old woman A 44-year-old woman A 19-year-old man The shooter, a 45-year-old man, who was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound
Chief Lorah said one of the victims found inside the home was eight months pregnant at the time of the shooting.
When asked if her unborn baby could have been saved, Lorah said too much time had passed from the time of her death to the time she was found for her baby to survive.
Eight of the victims, including the shooter, were related and everyone found inside of the home had lived there, said Lorah.
One of the women who was shot outside of the home was a family friend.
Information released Saturday
When asked why the number of victims did not come out until Saturday, Lorah said the department’s main focus was informing the public that they were safe.
He also added that it took officers some time to count the victims.
“It was horrific. It was the worst scene I have ever experienced,” he said.
Mayor Daria Devlin said they also wanted to be completely sure of the number of deceased family members before releasing the information, so as not to give wrong numbers to surviving family members.
DA warns against spreading misinformation
“I want to extend my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of every victim. We are keeping the victims, the families and everyone affected by this tragedy in our thoughts and our prayers,” said Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz.
She also recognized the law enforcement officers who responded to the “horrific” incident.
Hirz also made an appeal to the community to curb rumors about the shooting.
“Please do not allow rumors, speculation or unverified information to add to the pain these families are already experiencing,” said Hirz. “Sharing unconfirmed reports, repeating rumors, and drawing conclusions before the facts are established helps no one.”
Mayor offers support
“I am so deeply sorry. What happened to you was horrific, and there is nothing that any of us can say today that will make this any easier. But you do need to know that our entire community is with you, grieving with you, and we are here to support you,” said Devlin.
She also thanked the officers of the Erie Police Department for their response to the shooting.
“They arrived at a horrific scene, faced unimaginable circumstances and carried out their duties with courage and professionalism,” said Devlin. “We are deeply grateful for their service and their commitment to keeping our community safe.”
Devlin said the city is working with UPMC Crisis Services, Allegheny Health Network Behavioral Health and other communities to connect families and others with support and resources.
Crisis services are also available 24/7 at 814-456-2014 and Allegheny Health Network Behavioral Health is also available at 814-866-8484.