ERIE, PA – October 10, 2026 (STL.News) Nine people, including two children, have been reported dead following a mass shooting Friday evening in Erie, Pennsylvania, where police discovered multiple victims inside and outside a residence and found the suspected gunman dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The shooting occurred October 9 in the 700 block of Perry Street, near East Seventh Street, on the city’s east side.
Erie police received the initial report at approximately 4:52 p.m., according to the Erie Times-News, which reported statements from Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah.
Officers responding to the scene discovered two women fatally wounded outside a residence. Additional victims were found inside the home, along with the suspected shooter.
Erie News Now, the local WICU/WSEE television operation, reported nine deaths, including two children. CBS Pittsburgh and WPXI-TV also reported that figure.
However, Lorah did not announce a definitive death toll during his initial Friday night briefing. CBS Pittsburgh reported Saturday morning that it remained unclear whether the suspected shooter was included in the nine reported deaths.
The final number of homicide victims therefore remained unconfirmed in the official information available Saturday morning.
Authorities confirmed that the suspected shooter was deceased and that there was no continuing threat to the public.
Police had not released the identities of the victims or announced a motive.
Erie Police Respond to Shooting on Perry Street
The emergency response began late Friday afternoon when police received reports of gunfire and shooting victims near East Seventh and Perry streets.
According to the Erie Times-News, officers arrived to find two women with fatal gunshot wounds outside the residence.
Lorah said a witness had reported seeing a man shooting at the women before entering the home.
Responding officers surrounded the property as they attempted to determine whether the suspected gunman remained inside.
The Erie Bureau of Police SWAT team joined the response.
After officers entered and cleared the residence, they discovered additional deceased individuals.
Among those found inside was a man who matched the description of the suspected shooter provided by a witness, according to Lorah’s account.
Police recovered a firearm near the man, whose death appeared to have resulted from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities did not immediately release his identity.
Investigators continued processing the residence and surrounding area Friday night.
The Erie County Coroner’s Office was also involved as authorities worked to identify the deceased and establish the circumstances of the deaths.
Two Children Reportedly Among Those Killed
One of the most disturbing aspects of the shooting was the reported deaths of two children.
Erie News Now reported that children were among the victims discovered inside the residence.
WPXI-TV, citing Erie News Now, also reported that two children were among the deceased.
WTAE-TV reported that sources speaking to Erie television station WJET described multiple bodies inside the home, including two small children.
The information reviewed Saturday morning did not include the children’s ages or identities.
Authorities also had not publicly established whether the victims were related to one another or to the suspected gunman.
The circumstances surrounding the children’s deaths remained part of the investigation.
Police had not provided a complete account of what occurred inside the residence before officers entered.
Police Chief Describes Devastating Scene
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the shooting as an exceptionally difficult incident for the officers and investigators involved.
In remarks reported by WICU/WSEE and distributed through CNN Newsource, Lorah said the loss of life was devastating and described the circumstances as deeply disturbing.
He acknowledged the emotional impact on the officers and investigators responding to the scene.
Speaking to the Erie Times-News, Lorah described the crime scene as the worst he had encountered during his law enforcement career.
“It was horrific, definitely the worst I’ve ever seen,” Lorah said, according to the newspaper.
The chief emphasized that investigators needed time to establish exactly what happened.
He also declined to discuss some of the details officers encountered inside the residence out of respect for the victims and their families.
Authorities had not publicly identified a motive or established the relationship, if any, between the suspected shooter and those killed.
City of Erie Confirms No Continuing Public Threat
The City of Erie issued a statement Friday night confirming the situation was contained.
The statement acknowledged multiple deaths near Seventh and Perry streets and sought to reassure residents concerned about their safety.
“The shooter is deceased, and there is no ongoing threat or danger to the public at this time,” the city said.
The statement also expressed condolences to the victims’ families and others affected by the tragedy.
City officials said they would continue coordinating with the Erie Police Department and release additional information as verified details became available.
The statement did not provide a final casualty count or identify the deceased.
Residents had earlier been advised to avoid the immediate area while police and emergency personnel managed the situation.
The city’s announcement confirmed that the immediate public safety threat had ended, although the investigation remained active.
Conflicting Accounts of Gunfire During Police Response
One detail that remains unresolved concerns the sequence of gunfire during the police response.
Erie News Now reported that officers attempted to persuade the suspected gunman to surrender and that additional gunshots were heard from inside the residence during the standoff.
CNN Newsource repeated that account, and other television stations published it.
However, the Erie Times-News reported that Lorah said no gunshots were fired inside or outside the residence between the arrival of responding officers and the SWAT team’s clearance of the home.
The two accounts have not been reconciled in the information reviewed.
The discrepancy does not change the confirmed discovery of multiple victims or the suspected shooter’s death, but it remains relevant to establishing the precise sequence of events.
Police have not publicly provided a complete timeline explaining when each victim was shot.
Investigators also have not disclosed what led to the violence or whether the suspected gunman knew those killed.
No official determination of motive had been announced.
Reported Death Toll Awaits Official Clarification
The reported death toll has been a central issue in the early coverage.
Erie News Now reported nine deaths, including two children, and several other news organizations repeated that figure.
However, the Erie Times-News reported that Lorah did not confirm a final casualty count during his Friday night briefing.
CBS Pittsburgh specifically acknowledged uncertainty about whether the suspected shooter was included in the reported nine deaths.
Other early reporting gave different preliminary totals.
For that reason, the number of people killed by the suspected gunman should not be treated as definitively established by the reported overall death toll.
The distinction is important because the suspected shooter’s death would be counted separately from homicide victims in an official accounting.
The Erie County Coroner’s Office and police investigators are responsible for establishing the final number of deaths, identifying the deceased and determining the circumstances of each death.
Until authorities provide that information, nine remains a reported total rather than a final officially confirmed number of homicide victims.
Erie Investigation Remains Active
The shooting has drawn regional and national attention to Erie, a city in northwestern Pennsylvania along Lake Erie.
The incident unfolded in a residential neighborhood and required a significant response from police, emergency personnel, and investigators.
The reported deaths of two children have added to the tragedy as residents await additional information about the victims.
Authorities have not publicly released a complete list of those killed or explained the events that led to the violence.
Investigators are continuing to examine the scene, review evidence, and interview people who may have information about what occurred.
The Erie Police Department has confirmed that the suspected shooter is dead and that no continuing danger to the public has been identified.
As of Saturday morning, the motive remained unknown, the victims had not been publicly identified in the official statements reviewed, and the final number of homicide victims had not been confirmed.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Sources: Erie Times-News, October 9-10, 2026, reporting on the shooting and statements by Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah; Erie News Now (WICU/WSEE), October 9-10, 2026; WICU/WSEE reporting distributed by CNN Newsource and published by KBTX-TV, October 10, 2026; CBS Pittsburgh/KDKA-TV, Patrick Damp, updated October 10, 2026; WPXI-TV, October 10, 2026; WTAE-TV, October 9-10, 2026; and the City of Erie’s October 9 public statement, reproduced by TalkErie.
