Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said on Saturday that he had spoken with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin and offered the state administration’s full support following the shooting. (Representational image) Nine people, including two children, were killed in a mass shooting at a home in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Friday, October 9, in what the city’s police chief described as a “devastating” loss of life. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said the suspected gunman was found with a firearm and appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not established a motive for the shooting or confirmed the identities and ages of those involved. According to local media reports, the victims included two children. Investigators are examining whether the victims were related to one another and whether they knew the suspected shooter. “Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this tragedy. There are no words that can adequately express the magnitude of the loss of life here,” Lorah said. He described the scene as one of the worst he had encountered during nearly 30 years in law enforcement. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said on Saturday that he had spoken with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin and offered the state administration’s full support following the shooting. “My heart breaks for this family. Lori and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community,” Shapiro wrote in a post on X. Police were called to the 700 block of Perry Street on Erie’s East Side shortly before 5 pm on Friday after receiving a ShotSpotter alert. Officers arriving at the scene found two women with fatal gunshot wounds outside a residence. According to Lorah, a neighbour told investigators that a man had shot the women before entering the house. Police surrounded the building as the operation escalated into a SWAT response. Officers subsequently obtained a search warrant and entered the residence. In a statement issued on Saturday, Erie city officials defended the police response, saying officers arrived within minutes of receiving the alert. The city said all nine deaths occurred before officers reached the scene and were not the result of a prolonged standoff or a delay in police action. Officials also said no additional gunshots were fired after officers arrived, adding that sounds mistaken for gunfire during the operation were flash bangs used by law enforcement. Police had limited information when they arrived, including whether the suspected gunman remained inside the residence or posed an ongoing threat, the statement said. Investigators have since interviewed relatives and potential witnesses, while forensic teams examined the inside and outside of the property.