Nine dead, including children, in Erie, Pennsylvania shooting
A gunman opened fire at a residence in Erie, Pennsylvania, killing nine people before being found dead, authorities said.
Police responded to a residence in Erie, Pennsylvania, around 5 p.m. on Friday after receiving reports of gunfire. Officers found two women shot dead outside the home and then entered the property, where they discovered seven additional victims, including children, and the suspected shooter.
The suspect was later determined to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and police said there was no ongoing threat to the public. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the incident as one of the most distressing he had witnessed and expressed condolences to the victims' families.
City officials confirmed the shooter’s death and stated that the situation had been contained. The incident is the 19th mass murder of the year according to the Gun Violence Archive, which tracks incidents where four or more people are killed. The archive also notes that more than 500 mass shootings have occurred in the United States since the start of the year.
Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the killings.