A grave incident has shaken Erie in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, where nine people lost their lives inside and near a house. According to police and local media, the victims include two children, while one of the women killed was reportedly pregnant.
The alarm was raised after gunfire near the house
The incident began shortly before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, when police responded to a call about gunfire on Perry Street, on the east side of the city of Erie.
According to local reports, officers who arrived at the scene found two women dead outside the house. Witnesses said a man was firing a weapon outside the residence before going back inside.
Hours-long standoff with police
The situation quickly turned into a prolonged police operation after the armed person barricaded himself inside the house and refused to surrender.
The area was surrounded by a large police presence, and a SWAT team was also involved in the operation. According to authorities, officers repeatedly tried to persuade the suspected gunman to come out, while more gunfire was heard from inside the building during the intervention.
Bodies were found scattered inside the house
When police were able to enter the residence, they found several bodies inside, scattered across different parts of the building.
Among the victims were two children, while reports say one of the women killed was pregnant. So far, the identities of the victims and of the suspected gunman have not been made public.
Suspected gunman found dead, motive remains unclear
According to preliminary police information, the suspect was found dead, and initial signs point to suicide.
Erie Police Chief Rick Laura described the scene as one of the worst that officers and investigators in the city have ever encountered. However, authorities did not provide further details about what happened inside the house, saying the investigation is still in its early stages.
The motive for the attack remains unknown, as does the relationship the suspected gunman may have had with the victims.
Police said there is currently no further danger to residents in the area.
The scale of the incident and the lack of details about the motive make the toll of this mass killing in Pennsylvania all the more severe.