Authorities in Erie, Pennsylvania, say they are still piecing together what led a gunman to kill seven members of his family, a family friend, and then himself. “I think that mental health is at play here,” says Police Chief Rick Lorah, per the Erie Times-News. Police have yet to identify the victims or the suspected shooter. What we do know:
Two distressed women arrived at a house on Perry Street in Erie shortly before 5pm Friday, pounded on the door, and were shot outside after a gunman briefly emerged, according to video and audio evidence, reports the AP. As the women were knocking, the sound of muffled gunshots could be heard inside the home. After shooting the two women, the gunman returned inside. Officers reached the scene within minutes, heard no further gunfire, and used a drone, a robot, and flash-bang devices before entering, where they found seven bodies inside, including the 45-year-old suspect with a .40-caliber handgun registered in his name. Police say all the killings took place before they arrived, according to the Washington Post.