Eight dead, including a pregnant woman, in Erie home shooting

Police in Erie, Pennsylvania, responded to a ShotSpotter alert at a residence near East Seventh and Perry streets at about 4:55 p.m. on Friday. When officers arrived, they found two women dead outside the home and later used a robot to locate a victim inside before entering the property. All eight victims, identified by age, had been shot before police arrived, and the suspected gunman was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The victims included a 51-year-old woman, a 37-year-old woman, a 1-year-old girl, a 5-year-old boy, a 19-year-old man, a 21-year-old man, a 24-year-old pregnant woman, and a 44-year-old woman. Seven of the victims were related to the gunman, and a family friend was among those killed outside.

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the scene as “horrific” and said the department delayed releasing the death toll to confirm the number of victims and assure the public that there was no ongoing threat. Erie Mayor Daria Devlin expressed condolences and noted the city’s partnership with local health services to provide crisis support.

Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz offered condolences to the families and urged residents not to spread rumors or unverified information, emphasizing that speculation adds to the families’ pain.

The father of one victim, Juicesiyah Alexander Ezekiel, mourned his daughter, describing the loss as “sickening.” Community members are organizing fundraising efforts to assist with funeral expenses.