Nine people are dead after a shooting Friday evening in Erie, Pennsylvania, including a suspected gunman who reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities responded to the 700 block of Perry Street on Oct. 9, 2026.

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said the victims included two young children and a woman who was eight months pregnant. The suspected shooter was identified only as a 45-year-old man.

Eight of the nine people found dead, including the suspected gunman, were related, according to Lorah. The remaining victim was described as a family friend.

A ShotSpotter alert was triggered at approximately 4:53 p.m. by two gunshots in the area, Lorah said. Officers reached the scene approximately three minutes later and found two women, ages 51 and 37, dead outside the residence.

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Investigators reviewed Ring doorbell footage from a neighboring home as they worked to establish what happened. The recording showed the women appearing distressed while seeking help from neighbors and pounding on a door.

The footage also captured what investigators believe were muffled gunshots inside the residence. The suspect then emerged from the home and fatally shot both women, Lorah said.

One woman was a family friend, while the other was a sister-in-law of one of the victims. Neither of the women lived at the Perry Street residence.

Inside the home, officers discovered a 5 year old boy and a 1 year, 10 month old girl on the first floor. Four more victims were found on the second floor and in a stairwell.

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Those four victims were a 24-year-old woman, a 44-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man, and a 21-year-old man. Lorah said every victim found inside the residence had lived there.

The suspected gunman was discovered dead on the second floor with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police recovered a .40 caliber handgun from his person, and Lorah said the firearm was registered to the suspect.

Investigators believe the eight victims had been killed and the gunman had died before officers arrived. Lorah also clarified that sounds some witnesses may have mistaken for additional gunfire were flashbang devices and chemical munitions used by SWAT officers.

“I want to be candid with our community. This is one of the most difficult and heartbreaking scenes our officers and investigators have ever encountered. The loss of life is devastating, and the circumstances we are working through are deeply disturbing,” Lorah said, according to Fox8.

Lorah defended the police response, saying officers initially could not know whether the suspect was still inside, had escaped, or was holding anyone hostage. Officers heard no gunfire, screams, or other indications of life coming from the residence.

Police used drones and a robot to examine the home before officers entered. Lorah said obtaining a search warrant did not delay the entry and that officers would have moved inside immediately if they detected anyone facing imminent danger.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro confirmed the death toll and said he had offered state support. “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 wrote on X.

“My heart breaks for this family. Lori and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community,” Shapiro added. The city said the incident had been contained and there was no continuing threat to the public.

Erie Mayor Daria Devlin said the city was coordinating with crisis services, healthcare providers and local schools to provide trauma support. The Erie Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division continues to investigate the shooting.

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