ERIE, Pa. (Azat TV) – Nine people, including two children, an 8-month pregnant woman, and a 45-year-old gunman, were killed Friday evening in a horrific mass shooting and suspected murder-suicide on the 700 block of Perry Street in Erie, Pennsylvania, according to local authorities. Police Chief Rick Lorah described the scene during a press conference reported by the New York Post as the worst he had ever encountered.
Officers responding to reports of gunfire around 5 p.m. discovered two women fatally shot in the street outside a residence. Inside the home, tactical teams and investigators found six additional victims alongside the deceased male suspect, who appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities confirmed that all deaths occurred before police arrived, and loud noises heard during the response were flashbang devices deployed by the SWAT team.
According to details provided by WTAE, seven of the victims were family members, and the eighth was a family friend. The deceased include a 51-year-old woman and a 37-year-old woman shot outside the home after pounding on the door; a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl found on the first floor; and a 24-year-old pregnant woman, a 44-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man, and a 21-year-old man found in a second-floor stairwell.
Investigators recovered a Ring doorbell camera from a neighboring residence that captured audio and video of two women pacing in distress and pounding on the door before muffled shots were fired. Chief Lorah noted that mental health appears to be a central factor, though officials emphasized that it is too early to establish a definitive motive.
Community Response and Official Support
The City of Erie, Mayor Daria Devlin, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro issued statements offering condolences and state support to the grieving community. Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz urged residents to avoid spreading unverified rumors and misinformation while the investigation continues.
Authorities have not yet released the official identities of the victims pending notification by the medical examiner’s office. Further updates from city and police officials were scheduled as the investigation proceeds.
Follow-up Questions
What led to the shooting in Erie?
Investigators are still working to establish a motive, though police chief Rick Lorah indicated that mental health issues may have been a factor
What remains unclear: Exact motive remains under active investigation
Have the identities of the victims been released?
Official identities of the deceased have not been publicly released by authorities pending notification by the medical examiner's office
What remains unclear: Medical examiner has not yet published names
Governor Josh Shapiro offered state administrative support to the City of Erie and expressed deep grief over the loss of nine lives in the community
Erie Police Chief's View
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the incident as the worst crime scene he had ever encountered while noting that mental health likely played a role, though a definitive motive remains under investigation
Often mislabeled as the earliest royal wedding photograph from 1840, this portrait shows Queen Victoria and Prince Albert restaging their nuptials in 1854 for Roger Fenton’s camera.
