Erie shooting: 8 killed, including 2 children and a pregnant woman. Here's what's confirmed

Eight people, including two children and a pregnant woman, were killed in a shooting Friday evening in Erie, Pennsylvania, according to authorities cited by The Associated Press. The gunman also died, bringing the total number of dead to nine.

Early reports of the death toll varied, and officials in Erie have issued a statement to correct what they called inaccurate information circulating after the shooting. Here is what has been confirmed so far, and what has not.

## What happened

Officers were called to a home near 7th and Perry streets in East Erie around 5 p.m. Friday after a ShotSpotter gunshot alert and 911 calls about shots fired, according to ABC News and Erie News Now. Witnesses reported seeing a man firing a gun outside before he went into a home, CBS Pittsburgh reported.

Two women were found dead in the street, and more victims were found inside the house, according to CBS Pittsburgh. A SWAT team entered the home after obtaining a warrant, ABC News reported.

Police said the shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and that there is no ongoing threat to the public.

## Eight victims, not nine

Many early headlines, including some from national outlets, reported that nine people were killed. That number included the gunman.

The AP issued a correction to its story clarifying that eight people were killed, not including the shooter. CBS Pittsburgh also reported eight people killed and the suspect dead. Erie News Now, citing sources, reported Friday night that the suspected shooter was among the nine people found dead.

Police said the dead included two children and a pregnant woman, according to the AP. Authorities have not released the victims' names or ages.

## What the city corrected

The City of Erie said all of the deaths happened before officers arrived and that no additional shots were fired after police got there, according to the AP.

The city also said that sounds heard during the police response, which some people may have mistaken for more gunfire, were "flash bangs associated with law enforcement's tactical response," the AP reported. Flash bangs are devices police use to create a loud noise and bright light during tactical entries.

## What officials are saying

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah told a local station, "I have not seen anything like this in my 28-plus years," according to the AP. At a Friday news conference, Lorah said, "There are no words that can adequately express the magnitude of the loss of life here," CBS Pittsburgh reported.

Lorah also said police "will not speculate about a motive or any information that could compromise this investigation."

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he spoke with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin and offered his administration's "full support," the AP reported. In a statement Saturday, Shapiro said, "My heart breaks for this family," according to ABC News.

## What is still unknown

As of Saturday afternoon, police had not publicly identified the shooter or the victims, and had not said how the shooter knew the people who were killed. No motive has been released. City and police officials scheduled a news conference for Saturday afternoon to share more details.

## What happens next

The investigation is ongoing, and officials are expected to release more information, including the identities of those killed, in the coming days. NextGen America will update this story as police confirm new details.

In fast-moving stories like this one, early casualty counts often change. Waiting for official confirmation, and checking whether a number includes the suspect, is one of the simplest ways to avoid spreading wrong information.