Nine people, including two children and a pregnant woman, were killed in a shooting at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, on October 9. The incident sparked a standoff between the gunman and a SWAT team.
Shooting details
Police responded to the 700 block of Perry Street at around 5pm local time. Officers found two women dead from gunshot wounds outside the property. The suspected gunman then barricaded the home, preventing officers from entering.
The gunman, armed with a handgun, remained inside as police and SWAT teams surrounded the building. Several shots were heard being fired inside during the standoff. The gunman later died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Official response
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the scene as "one of the most difficult and heartbreaking scenes that our officers and investigators have ever encountered." He added that the loss of life was "devastating" and the circumstances "deeply disturbing."
Lorah confirmed that multiple people were found dead inside the property once officers gained entry. He declined to share the exact number of victims "out of respect of the victims" and their families.
Neither the gunman nor the victims have been identified. The investigation is ongoing.
