Nine people, including children and the suspected shooter, are dead after a mass shooting at a residence in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Friday, Oct. 9, authorities said.
Erie police received reports of gunfire and people shot at 4:52 p.m. Friday and responded to the 700 block of Perry Street, where officers found two women fatally wounded outside a home, Police Chief Rick Lorah said. Additional victims, and the suspected gunman, were found inside the residence.
The suspected shooter was found with a gun and appeared to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police. A neighbor had reported seeing a person matching the suspect’s description shooting at the two women outside, Lorah said.
Authorities released additional details about the victims’ ages and their relationships during a news conference on Oct. 10. Police said eight of the nine people who died were related to one another, including the suspected shooter. The remaining victim was a family friend. One of the victims was eight months pregnant.
Here’s what we know about the Erie mass shooting.
Erie Bureau of Police investigate the scene where multiple people were killed in a reported shooting in and around a home at 722 Perry St. in Erie, Pa., Oct. 9, 2026.
What happened in the shooting?
Police responded to the residence after receiving an alert from the city’s ShotSpotter gunshot detection system, according to city officials. Officers arrived within minutes of the shots fired report, Lorah said.
After finding the two fatally wounded women outside, officers surrounded the home before members of the Erie Bureau of Police SWAT Team entered and cleared the residence. Investigators determined that all the deaths occurred before officers arrived, according to an Oct. 10 city news release.
Officials said no gunshots were fired in the area between officers’ arrival and the SWAT team’s clearance of the home. Sounds that may have been mistaken for gunfire during the response were flash bangs used by law enforcement, the city said.
The city also emphasized that the deaths did not result from a prolonged standoff or a delay in police action. Officers initially had limited information about whether the suspected shooter remained inside or posed an ongoing threat, according to the release.
During the news conference, Lorah said officers arrived about three minutes after the ShotSpotter alert. He said officers heard no gunshots or cries for help and saw no movement inside the home. The doors were locked and the windows were covered, he said.
Lorah said officers were prepared to enter the residence immediately if they heard gunfire or cries for help, or saw someone trying to escape or signal for assistance. He said obtaining a search warrant was not a factor in deciding whether to enter the home.
Who were the victims?
Nine people, including the suspected shooter, were killed. Authorities had not publicly released the victims’ names as of the afternoon of Oct. 10, nor the gunman’s identity.
Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said his office was beginning to confirm the identities of the deceased. Eight people were pronounced dead at the scene, while another was taken to a hospital and was later pronounced dead, Cook said.
The coroner’s office had not ruled on the deaths as of the afternoon of Oct. 10. Officials had not announced whether autopsies would be performed.
Lorah identified the two women found outside the home only as a 51-year-old woman and a 37-year-old woman. Inside, officers found a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl who were on the first floor.
Four more victims were found in a stairwell on the second floor: a 24-year-old woman, a 44-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man and a 21-year-old man.
The suspected shooter was a 45-year-old man, Lorah said. He was found dead on the second floor with a firearm, which police said was registered to him.
Lorah said the victims found inside the home lived there, while the two women found outside did not. He said one of the women outside was a family friend, and the other was a sister-in-law of one of the victims.
What was the motive?
Lorah described the scene as the most horrific he had encountered during his law enforcement career. The city urged residents to avoid sharing unverified information or speculation, saying it could deepen the pain of grieving families and create unnecessary fear.
During the news conference, Lorah said it was too early to determine a motive. He said investigators were reviewing cellphones, examining evidence and speaking with family members and witnesses to learn more about what happened.
Lorah said he believed mental health could be a factor, but emphasized that investigators had not established a motive. He also said police had a history of contact with the suspected shooter, though the last interaction he could recall was in 2022.
How has Pennsylvania responded?
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he had spoken with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin and offered the state’s support after the shooting.
“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. My heart breaks for this family. Lori and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community,” Shapiro said.
Devlin said during the press conference the city was working with crisis services, behavioral health providers, schools and other community partners to connect affected families and residents with support. She urged people to respect the privacy of grieving families and share accurate information.
UPMC Crisis Services is available 24 hours a day at 814-456-2014, Devlin said. Allegheny Health Network Behavioral Health can be reached at 814-866-8484.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pennsylvania mass shooting: What we know about 9 people killed
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