A 45‑year‑old man opened fire, killing eight people,including a pregnant woman and two small children,before taking his own life Friday evening in Erie, Pennsylvania, local officials said.
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the episode as a “devastating” rampage during a Saturday news conference. “It was horrific. It was the worst scene I have ever experienced,” he told reporters.
The shooting unfolded at a home on Perry Street. Officers arrived around 5:00 p.m. after receiving a ShotSpotter alert that a man was discharging a handgun outside before entering the house. They reached the scene within minutes.
Police found two women, ages 51 and 37, dead outside the residence. One was the sister‑in‑law of a resident, and the other was a family friend. Doorbell camera footage from a nearby house captured the two women arriving, knocking on a neighbor’s door for help, and hearing muffled gunshots from inside. The gunman then stepped outside, called to them, and shot them as they approached.
“They must have known that something was going on. They didn’t contact us, though, so we don’t know what that is yet,” Lorah said, noting that detectives are reviewing the women’s phones and interviewing witnesses.
When officers entered, they heard no movement or cries for help, found the doors locked, and saw windows covered. Unsure whether the shooter was still active or holding hostages, law enforcement deployed drones around the property. SWAT later breached the home and sent a surveillance robot inside to assess the situation.
Inside, officers discovered six more victims and the gunman’s body. The victims included a 5‑year‑old boy, a girl just shy of her second birthday, two women aged 24 and 44, and two men aged 19 and 21. One adult female victim was eight months pregnant.
A .40‑caliber handgun registered to the suspect was recovered from his body. Investigators confirmed that all nine individuals had died before the SWAT team entered, and no gunfire occurred while officers were on site. The loud noises heard during the operation came from flashbangs and chemical munitions used by the team.
Eight of the victims were family members, while the ninth was a close family friend. Their ages ranged from 22 months to 51 years.
“As I said last night, some scenes stay with you long after you leave them. This is one of those tragic scenes,” Lorah reflected, recalling his earlier description of the shooting as “deeply disturbing.” He declined to share further details about what officers encountered inside, adding, “Out of respect for the victims and the families, I will not discuss the details of what our officers encountered inside that home.”
Police have not identified a motive, though Lorah suggested mental‑health issues may have played a role. The investigation remains active, and authorities emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
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