Oct 10 (Reuters) – A 45-year-old man shot and killed eight people, including a pregnant woman and two children, then apparently shot himself to death in Erie, Pennsylvania, authorities said on Saturday at a press conference where they revealed details of the previous evening’s shooting.
The shooter, who has yet to be identified, died of an apparent self-inflicted wound before officers arrived on the scene, said Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah.
“Some scenes stay with you long after you leave them. This is one of those tragic scenes,” Lorah said.
Police have yet to establish a motive, Lorah said. He said eight of the nine who died in the shooting were family members, and one was a family friend.
Lorah said after the shooter entered the home, he came out of the house and shot two women who appeared “distressed” and were pacing back and forth seeking assistance from neighbors.
Police found the suspect on the second floor of the home on Perry Street, Lorah said.
Erie Mayor Daria Devlin said the police department “arrived at a horrific scene, faced unimaginable circumstances, and carried out their duties with courage and professionalism.”
“They too are members of this community, and they too will carry the weight of what happened last night,” she said.
Earlier, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement on X that he had spoken with Mayor Devlin and had offered support following “the tragic mass shooting.”
(Reporting by Ann Saphir in San Francisco, Erin Banco in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)
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