In Erie, Pennsylvania, a 45-year-old man shot and killed 8 family members and acquaintances—including a 5-year-old boy, a 22-month-old girl, and an 8-month pregnant woman—before taking his own life in a mass shooting.

According to Reuters, the Associated Press, and local media on the 11th (local time), the Erie Police Department announced that a total of 9 people, including the suspect, died in the mass shooting that occurred on the afternoon of the 9th. The victims included a 5-year-old boy, a 22-month-old girl, and a 24-year-old woman who was 8 months pregnant. The remaining victims were 19- and 21-year-old males, and 37-, 44-, and 51-year-old females. Of the 8 victims, 7 were confirmed to be family members of the suspect, and 1 was a family friend.

The incident took place at around 5:00 p.m. on the 9th at a home on Perry Street in Erie. Video and audio recordings obtained by investigators capture two women urgently calling for help shortly after gunshots were heard inside the house. The two women sought assistance from neighbors and knocked on the front door, but the suspect came outside and opened fire. Police responded after receiving an alert from the gunshot detection system "ShotSpotter" and discovered the two women dead outside the house. Afterward, police deployed drones and robots to search the interior of the home, finding 2 children on the first floor, and 4 adult victims along with the suspect's body on the stairs and second floor. A .40-caliber handgun registered in the suspect's name was recovered at the scene.

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah stated, "In more than 28 years as a police officer, I have never seen a scene like this." Police plan to investigate other family members and analyze the cell phone records of the deceased women to determine the motive for the crime.

Flowers, balloons, and stuffed animals were left at the scene to honor the victims. Local residents and grieving families held a candlelight vigil to mourn those who lost their lives. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro spoke with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin and promised state-level support.

According to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), the number of mass shootings in the United States this year has surpassed 400. The GVA classifies mass shootings as incidents in which 4 or more people are shot, excluding the shooter.

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