A mass shooting in Erie, Pennsylvania, has left nine people dead, including two children and a pregnant woman, in what the city's police chief described as the worst incident he has witnessed in nearly three decades of service.
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said the city had suffered an unprecedented level of loss and devastation after eight victims and the gunman were found dead at a family home. Officers were called to the property on Friday evening, where they discovered two women dead outside the house. Inside, they found the bodies of a five-year-old boy, a one-year-old girl, two other women, two young men and the shooter.
Chief describes unprecedented devastation
Chief Lorah said the 45-year-old gunman was related to seven of the victims. The eighth victim was a friend of the pregnant woman. Speaking to a local news station, the police chief said: "I have not seen anything like this in my 28-plus years. I'm not sure that the city of Erie has ever seen the loss of life and the devastation that we just witnessed."
CCTV footage showed two "distressed" women arriving at the home shortly before 5pm and banging on the door, Chief Lorah said. The gunman then shot them before returning inside the property.
Investigation and response
Detectives are now expected to speak to relatives of the victims and examine their mobile phones as they try to establish a motive for the shooting. Chief Lorah said: "They knew something was going on at that house - we have to figure out what that is."
Officers were alerted to the incident through ShotSpotter, an app that uses artificial intelligence and a network of microphones to detect and report gunshots.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he had offered his administration's "full support" to Erie Mayor Daria Devlin following the tragedy. In a post on X, he wrote: "I've spoken with Mayor Devlin and offered my Administration's full support following the tragic mass shooting in Erie last night, killing nine of our fellow Pennsylvanians."
"My heart breaks for this family. Lori and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community."
A statement from the City of Erie said the situation had been contained and there was no ongoing threat to the public. It said: "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."
