Grandfather shooter in Pennsylvania killed eight relatives and a friend before turning on himself

Police in Erie, Pennsylvania, confirm that a 45-year-old man killed eight relatives and a friend before turning the weapon on himself on Friday. Authorities have not released the names of the deceased, but police chief Rick Lorah said the shooter was related to seven of the victims. The eighth victim was a friend of the pregnant woman among those killed.

The dead included a pregnant woman, her five-year-old son, a one-year-old girl, and an unborn baby. Mourners gathered outside the home shortly after 5 pm on Friday to pay their respects.

Investigators recovered audio evidence showing muffled gunshots inside the house before two distressed women arrived and pounded on the door. The gunman came outside, shot the two women, and went back inside. Responding officers found the women dead on the lawn.

Officers deployed a drone and a robot before entering the property. Inside, they discovered the bodies of the five-year-old boy and the one-year-old girl on the first floor. Two more women and two young men were found in a stairwell, and the shooter was located on the second floor.

Lorah suggested mental health could be a factor but declined to discuss the motive. Police plan to interview relatives and examine the cellphones of the two women killed outside the home. "Out of respect for the victims and the families, I will not discuss the details of what our officers encountered inside that home," Lorah said. He added that investigators need to understand what the women knew before arriving at the house.

Friends and relatives expressed shock, noting the shooter never appeared distressed or out of the ordinary. Julius Windham, whose one-year-old daughter and pregnant sister were killed, said the violence was completely unexpected. "Words can't even explain what I'm going through right now," Windham said. He emphasized the need to support his family and community through the tragedy.

Erie mayor Daria Devlin addressed the victims' families at a news conference on Saturday, offering condolences and promising support. Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro also released a statement on X, expressing grief for the family and the wider community. Erie is located about 120 miles (190km) north of Pittsburgh.