A 45-year-old man killed seven relatives and a family friend at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, then apparently died from a self-inflicted gunshot, authorities said Saturday. Among the eight people killed were two young children and a woman who was eight months pregnant.
Police were dispatched Friday evening after reports of gunfire, and officers found two women dead on the street. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah briefed reporters on the case.
How the attack unfolded at the Erie home
Lorah said video footage showed the two women arriving at the residence looking upset, then trying to reach neighbors and get inside. He said the gunman left the house, opened fire on them, and went back inside.
The man then barricaded himself in the home while officers surrounded the building and ordered him to come out. He was later found inside with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the chief said.
Lorah added that the gunman and seven of his victims were related, while the eighth was a family friend. Those who died inside the house included a five-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl, along with men and women aged between 19 and 51.
Officials and residents respond to the killings
Local media reported that officers who responded to the scene were being offered counseling. Erie Mayor Daria Devlin said Saturday that many residents were hurting, including neighbors who witnessed the violence, the families of those killed, and first responders.
Devlin said the city could not undo the events of the previous night or ease the grief of those affected, but it could make sure families were not left to face their loss alone.
Mass shootings are frequent in the United States, a country where guns far outnumber people. Efforts to tighten firearm restrictions face major political and legal barriers.
