SLAUGHTER IN ERIE: Gunman Kills 9, Including 2 Children, in Pennsylvania Home Shooting Before Taking Own Life

A horrific mass shooting in Erie, Pennsylvania, left nine people dead, including two children, after a gunman opened fire at a home on Perry Street Friday evening before dying from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.⁠Fox29

Police were called to the 700 block of Perry Street on the city’s East Side shortly before 5 p.m. after receiving a ShotSpotter alert and witness reports of a man firing a weapon outside a residence. Two women were found dead outside the home with fatal gunshot wounds. The suspect then entered the house, where additional victims, including two children, were later discovered dead inside, according to local reports and police statements.⁠Goerie

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah, a nearly three-decade veteran of the force, described the scene as unprecedented. “I have not seen anything like this in my 28-plus years,” Lorah told local media. “I’m not sure that the city of Erie has ever seen the loss of life and the devastation that we just witnessed.” He added that the circumstances were “deeply disturbing” and among the most difficult and heartbreaking his officers and investigators have ever encountered.⁠Fox29

City officials later confirmed that all nine deaths, including the suspect, occurred before officers arrived on scene and were not the result of any prolonged standoff or delay in police response. The suspect was found inside the home with a firearm and an apparent self-inflicted wound. There is no ongoing threat to the public, authorities said.⁠BBC

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said Saturday that he had spoken with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin and offered his administration’s “full support” following the tragedy that killed “nine of our fellow Pennsylvanians.” “My heart breaks for this family,” Shapiro stated. “Lori and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community.”⁠Abcnews

As of Saturday afternoon, police had not released the identities of the victims or the suspect, nor had they disclosed a motive. Investigators are continuing to process the scene and interview witnesses. One early local report indicated that among the dead was a pregnant woman, though officials have not publicly confirmed all details out of respect for the families.⁠NY Post

The quiet residential neighborhood of tightly packed homes was left reeling, with police maintaining a heavy presence Saturday morning as the investigation continued. Counseling is being offered to responding officers who encountered what Lorah called a “horrific scene.”

This is a developing story. Fox News will continue to update as more information becomes available. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the Erie community.