ERIE, Pa. — Erie officials on Saturday released the ages and sexes of the victims of Friday’s mass shooting near East Seventh and Perry streets, along with a detailed timeline of the police response, as the city reckoned with a death toll of nine — eight victims and the suspected shooter.
The victims are two women, 51 and 37; a 5-year-old boy; a girl aged 1 year and 10 months; a 24-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant; a 44-year-old woman; and two men, 19 and 21, officials said at a 4 p.m. briefing at Erie City Hall. Their names were withheld pending notification of their families. Eight of the nine were related, including the shooter; the ninth was a family friend, the Erie Times-News reported.
The Erie County coroner ruled the deaths of six adults, two children and one unborn child as homicides. The suspect, identified only as a 45-year-old man, died by suicide, according to the Erie Times-News.
Officials said all of the deaths occurred before officers arrived. Police reached the scene within about three minutes of a ShotSpotter alert at roughly 4:52 p.m. Friday. Officers heard no further gunfire after arriving; sounds mistaken for shots were flash-bangs used during the tactical response.
Investigators had not established a motive. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said mental health could be a factor, and that the suspect had a prior police contact in 2022, according to USA Today.
“I have not seen anything like this in my 28-plus years,”
This story follows our earlier coverage of the case.
Friday’s shooting unfolded near East Seventh and Perry streets. Officers found two women dead outside a home on Perry Street and additional victims inside, WPXI reported, citing Erie News Now. Residents faced no continuing danger, authorities said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said he had spoken with Mayor Daria Devlin and offered his administration’s “full support.”
“My heart breaks for this family,” he wrote. “Lori and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community.”
In a separate shooting early Saturday in West Philadelphia, Philadelphia Police Officer Shane Seiber died. Seiber, 40, was a 10-year police veteran and leaves behind a wife and two children, KYW Newsradio reported, citing Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. Another officer was wounded, and police took a suspect into custody.
Shapiro said he ordered U.S. and Pennsylvania flags lowered to half-staff on Commonwealth grounds in Seiber’s honor. He offered condolences to the officer’s loved ones and fellow officers.
