Nine people, including two children, were killed in a mass shooting in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Friday evening, according to reporting by Erie News Now. The suspected gunman also died, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, after a standoff with law enforcement.
Witnesses described a man armed with a handgun firing shots outside a residence before entering the home, Erie News Now reported. Two women were discovered in the street, dead from gunshot wounds.
Emergency calls came in around 5 PM, prompting a response from police officers and a SWAT team, according to Erie News Now. Authorities established a perimeter around the house and used a loudspeaker to call on the suspect to surrender.
Additional gunfire was heard from inside the residence before officers made entry and located further victims, Erie News Now reported. The two children were among those found dead, along with the shooter.
Investigators have not disclosed a possible motive and have not released the identities of any of the victims.
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah addressed the media, stating, "The loss of life is devastating, and the circumstances we are working through are deeply disturbing."
Erie Mayor Daria Devlin issued a statement calling the incident a "terrible tragedy" while emphasizing that the situation no longer presents a danger to the public.
The investigation remains active, and authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward as the community begins to process the scale of the loss.