What happened
Nine people, including two children and the suspected gunman, are dead after a mass shooting at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania. The suspected shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities reported that all the deaths occurred before police arrived at the scene.
Police were dispatched to the home after receiving a ShotSpotter alert about gunfire. Witnesses said they saw a man firing a weapon outside the property before entering the home. Responding officers found two women dead in the street and additional victims, including children, inside the home.
A major law enforcement response was deployed, including a SWAT team. Officers attempted to get the suspect to surrender before entering the home with a warrant. The city stressed that the deaths were not due to a prolonged standoff or delayed police action.
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the scene as one of the most distressing he had encountered in his nearly three decades in law enforcement. The city and Mayor Daria Devlin issued a joint statement describing the shooting as a terrible tragedy. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro offered the state's full support to the city and expressed his condolences to the victims' loved ones.