9 Dead in Erie, Pennsylvania House Shooting: Two Children and 8-Months-Pregnant Woman Among Victims; Coroner Rules 9 Homicides, Gunman Suicide
Police in Erie, Pennsylvania confirmed on October 10 that a shooting at a residence on Perry Street on Friday evening (October 9) left nine people dead, including a 5-year-old boy, a 1-year-old girl, and a woman who was eight months pregnant. Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook ruled the deaths of six adults, two children, and the pregnant woman's unborn child as homicides, and the death of the 45-year-old male suspected gunman as suicide. Governor Josh Shapiro said Saturday morning that he had spoken with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin and offered his administration's full support.
The incident unfolded at about 4:52 p.m. Friday. Responding to reports of gunfire, officers arrived at the 700 block of Perry Street in east Erie and found two women fatally wounded in the street outside the home. Police surrounded the residence, and a SWAT team staged an hours-long standoff; flashbang devices used during the response were initially mistaken for gunshots. Inside the home, officers found more victims. Police Chief Rick Lorah said all of the deaths occurred before officers arrived, and no shots were fired after police were on scene.
According to details released at an October 10 news conference, eight of the nine dead were related to one another — including the suspected shooter — while the ninth was a family friend. The victims included the 5-year-old boy and 1-year-old girl on the first floor; two women, ages 24 and 44, and two men, ages 19 and 21, in the second-floor stairwell; and two women, ages 51 and 37, found outside, one of them eight months pregnant. Camera footage from a neighbor's home showed two women arriving at the house in distress, pacing and pounding on the door to get someone's attention.
Chief Lorah called it the worst scene he had experienced in his career, saying the word 'horrific' did not do it justice. He said he believed mental health was a factor but that it was too soon to discuss a motive, adding that investigators were working to establish the full circumstances and that police would not speculate on anything that could compromise the investigation. 'My heart breaks for this family. Lori and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community,' Shapiro wrote on social media. The city of Erie and Mayor Devlin said in a joint statement that the shooter was deceased and there was no ongoing threat to the public.
Coroner Cook said his office began confirming the victims' identities on the morning of October 10; most were pronounced dead at the scene, and one died at a hospital. The coroner's office had not decided whether autopsies would be performed. City Councilman Andre Horton said Saturday evening: 'My heart goes out to the family and all of those who lost loved ones... and my heart goes out to the police who had to witness this and to perform their duties.' Police are asking anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：宾夕法尼亚州伊利县法院大楼。摄影：Codera23，CC BY-SA 4.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons
