Nine killed in Erie, Pennsylvania mass shooting including two children and a pregnant woman

A mass shooting on Perry Street in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Friday, October 9, 2026, left nine people dead, including two children and a pregnant woman. Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook ruled the deaths of the eight victims as homicides and the death of the 45-year-old shooter as suicide. Police Chief Rick Lorah said eight of the dead were family members and one was a family friend. The shooter was among the family members.

Officers responded at about 4:50 p.m. to a ShotSpotter alert and reports of gunshots. They found two women, ages 51 and 37, dead outside the home. Both had been shot in the head. The remaining victims were inside. On the first floor police found a 5-year-old boy and a 22-month-old girl. On the second floor and stairwell they found a 24-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant, a 44-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man, and a 21-year-old man. The unborn child was also counted among the dead by the coroner. The shooter was found on the second floor with a self-inflicted wound and a .40-caliber handgun.

Investigators determined that all the killings occurred before officers reached the scene. No shots were fired after police arrived and set a perimeter. SWAT entered later using flash-bang devices. Lorah said the scene was the worst he had seen in more than 28 years. Governor Josh Shapiro offered state support. Mayor Daria Devlin praised the officers’ response.

Names of the victims and the shooter had not been released by Saturday evening as the coroner worked to notify families. Police said they would not speculate on motive. Video evidence indicated the two women outside arrived in distress and sought help from neighbors before being shot. The shooter is believed to have killed those inside first, gone outside to shoot the two women, then returned and killed himself.

The incident is among the deadliest mass shootings in Pennsylvania in recent years. It was a domestic event rather than a public-space attack. Recovery for the neighborhood and for surviving relatives will depend on the ongoing investigation and on support services. The coroner’s office continues to process the scene and identify next of kin.