Nine Dead, Including Two Children, in Erie Mass Shooting

**Updated 19:45 UTC.** Reuters independently confirmed Saturday afternoon that nine people are dead in Erie, citing a city statement saying investigators determined all nine deaths happened before officers reached Perry Street. The Erie Times-News reported that no shots were fired after police arrived: officers found two mortally wounded women outside, then surrounded the home, where a witness had seen the gunman firing at the women before he went in. Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said all but one of the nine was pronounced dead at the scene, the other dying at a hospital; some victims were taken to the county morgue, others to a local funeral home, and one remained at the hospital Saturday morning. Authorities said late Saturday morning they had not established a motive or any connection between the gunman and the others killed. The ages and sexes of the victims are expected at the 4 p.m. local-time press conference at Erie City Hall. This is a developing story.

**Updated 19:11 UTC.** Erie officials clarified several details Saturday afternoon. According to the city, officers reached Perry Street within minutes of a ShotSpotter alert on Friday, and investigators believe all nine deaths happened before police arrived. The loud sounds heard during the response were not gunfire, the city said, but flash bangs from the tactical team. The mayor's office urged residents to be careful about what they share online, pointing to unverified reports and speculation circulating since the shooting. Mayor Daria Devlin is expected to address the city at the 4 p.m. press conference at Erie City Hall alongside Police Chief Rick Lorah. This is a developing story.

**Updated 17:08 UTC.** Erie police have scheduled a news conference at City Hall for 4 p.m. Saturday local time, where Chief Rick Lorah is expected to release the ages and sexes of the nine people killed. Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said his office was only beginning to confirm identities Saturday morning; all but one of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene, and one died at a hospital. The death toll breakdown stands at eight people fatally shot and the suspected gunman dead of an apparent self-inflicted wound. No motive has been established and no names have been released. This is a developing story.

**Updated 16:36 UTC.** Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro responded to the shooting publicly on Saturday, saying he had spoken with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin and offered his administration's full support. "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," Shapiro wrote in a public post. "My heart breaks for this family. Lori and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community." Erie police said the investigation was still in its early hours Saturday morning. No motive has been established, and officials have not released the names of any of the victims or the gunman. This is a developing story.

What happened

Police in Erie, Pennsylvania, were called to Perry Street around 5 p.m. local time on Friday, October 9, after witnesses reported seeing a man fire a gun on the street and then go inside a home.

When officers arrived near 7th and Perry Streets, they found two women dead in the road from gunshot wounds. The suspect had barricaded himself inside the house, and the response grew into an hours-long standoff with SWAT teams. Shots were heard from inside the home during the standoff, according to local reports.

When police finally entered, they found seven more people dead inside. Nine people were reported dead in total, including two children. Local outlet Erie News Now also reported that one of the victims was pregnant. Police have not publicly identified any of the victims, and the shooter has not been named.

Officers and SWAT teams kept the home surrounded for hours while investigators worked from the street. Late Friday, the City of Erie and Mayor Daria Devlin put out a joint statement saying the situation had been contained and asking residents to give investigators room to do their work.

What police said

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah confirmed that the suspect died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He called the scene one of the most difficult and heartbreaking his officers had ever encountered.

"The loss of life is devastating and the circumstances we are working through are deeply disturbing," Lorah said. "Our investigators are working diligently to establish the full circumstances of what occurred."

The City of Erie and Mayor Daria Devlin released a joint statement on Friday night calling the shooting "a terrible tragedy" and assuring residents that the shooter was deceased and there was no ongoing threat.

Lorah declined to speculate on a motive or to describe details of the scene, saying out of respect for the victims and their loved ones that he would not discuss specifics. He said investigators would need time to piece together what happened.

What's next

As of Saturday morning, police said the investigation was in its early hours. No motive had been established, and the coroner's office had not released the victims' names. The city said counselors and support services would be made available to residents shaken by the shooting.

Investigators spent Saturday working through the home on Perry Street, and officials said further updates would follow as confirmed information emerged.

Chief Lorah himself declined to put a number on the death toll at his briefing, saying he would not discuss the specifics of what officers found. The figure of nine dead, including two children, comes from local reporting and was confirmed by the City of Erie on Saturday.