A man killed eight people and himself in a mass shooting at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, local police said Saturday.
What do we know so far?
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 died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound before authorities arrived on scene.
The victims included a 1-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy, as well as a pregnant woman who also died in the shooting.
“Some scenes stay with you long after you’ve left them. It’s 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 released by authorities. The motive for the massacre also remains unclear, with police having opened an investigation.
At a news conference, Erie Mayor Daria Devlin addressed the victims’ families.
“I am deeply sorry. What happened to you is horrible, and there is nothing any of us can say today that will make it easier,” she said. “But you should know that our entire community is with you, we are grieving with you. And we are here to support you.”
Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro offers support after ‘tragic mass shooting’
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke by phone with Devlin and offered support for Erie.
“I spoke with Mayor Devlin and offered the full support of my administration in the wake of the tragic mass shooting in Erie last night, killing nine of our fellow Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro said in a statement 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 for 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.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
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