Nine people, including children, dead after mass shooting in Pennsylvania

A 45-year-old man shot and killed nine people in Erie, Pennsylvania, including pregnant women and two children, before apparently shooting himself, authorities confirmed on Saturday. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said the shooter died of a self-inflicted wound before police arrived at the scene. Police have yet to establish a motive, but they found the suspect on the second floor of the home on Perry Street. Eight of the nine victims were family members, and one was a family friend.

Erie Mayor Daria Devlin described the police response as facing unimaginable circumstances with courage and professionalism. She expressed that they too are members of this community and will carry the weight of what happened last night. Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania expressed his support for Mayor Devlin and the community following the tragic mass shooting.

Shapiro, who has long advocated for common sense gun safety, pushed for reforms in the state legislature, including universal background checks and restrictions on ghost guns. However, several of Shapiro's proposals have stalled in the state legislature.

Gun Violence Archive data shows that there have been more than 400 mass shootings in the US in 2026, with the last recorded mass shooting in Pennsylvania taking place in July in Philadelphia.