9 dead, including children, in mass shooting in Erie, Pennsylvania

NINE people were killed, including children, during a mass shooting in Erie, Pennsylvania, officials said.

Police first responded to a home on Perry Street in Erie on Friday, Oct. 9, around 5 p.m., after witnesses reported seeing a gunman firing shots outside the house before entering the residence.

When police arrived, they found two women who had been shot to death in the street.

The shooting escalated into a standoff as Erie Police and SWAT teams surrounded the home. More shots were then heard inside the home. When police entered, they found the bodies of seven other people, including children, as well as the gunman who died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to investigators.

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the incident as one of the most difficult and heartbreaking scenes he had ever encountered.

“The loss of life is devastating and the circumstances we are working through are deeply disturbing,” Chief Lorah said.

“At this time, we can confirm that the suspect is deceased. Based on the information currently available to us, there is no ongoing threat to the public. Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this tragedy. There are no words that can adequately express the magnitude of the loss of life here.”

“We will not speculate about a motive, or at least information that could compromise this investigation,” Chief Lorah said.

“It's just a devastating loss of life. It's a terrible, terrible scene at this point, and we just need time to piece together what happened here.”