Shooter kills 8 people and himself in Pennsylvania — police

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said seven of the eight victims were related to the shooter, with the eighth person being a family friend. The shooter had died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound before authorities arrived at the scene. 

Among the victims was a 1-year-old girl and 5-year-old boy, with a pregnant woman also dead in the shooting.  

“Some scenes stay with you long after you leave them. This is one of those tragic scenes,” Lorah said, describing an “eerie silence” when police arrived at the home. 

The identity of the 45-year-old shooter has not yet been revealed by authorities. The motive for the massacre is also still unclear, with police pursuing an investigation. 

At a press conference, Erie Mayor Daria Devlin addressed the families of the victims. 

“I am so deeply sorry. What happened to you was horrific, and there is nothing that any of us can say today that will make this any easier,” she said. “But you do need to know that our entire community is with you, we’re grieving with you. And we are here to support you.”

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro spoke with Devlin by phone and offered his support to Erie.  

“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,” Shapiro said in a statement post on X. 

Shapiro said his “heart breaks for this family” and added that he and his wife Lori Shapiro “are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community.”   

Shapiro, a Democrat, has pushed for gun control bills in his state and signed an executive order in 2024 to reestablish the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention. 

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