Multiple people, including two children and a pregnant woman, were killed Friday night after a gunman opened fire inside a home in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Police were called to the shooting at about 5 p.m. in the 700 block of Perry Street, Erie News Now reported.
When officers arrived, they found two women lying in the street outside the home. Both had suffered fatal gunshot wounds, according to the outlet.
The suspected shooter, who was armed with a handgun, barricaded himself inside the residence, prompting a standoff with a SWAT team.
Video from Erie News Now showed several shots being fired inside the home during the standoff.
The gunman, whose identity has not been released, later died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
After police entered the home, they found multiple victims dead throughout the residence. One of those killed was pregnant at the time of the shooting, the outlet reported.
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Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah declined to provide details about the scene, saying it was “out of respect of the victims.”
Authorities have not disclosed a motive or released additional information about the shooting.
The relationship between the gunman and the victims remains unknown.
Police officials described the gruesome scene as one of the worst the city has ever experienced.
“I wanna be candid with our community, this is one of the most difficult and heartbreaking scenes that our officers and investigators have ever encountered,” Lorah told reporters.
“The loss of life is devastating and the circumstances that we are working through are deeply disturbing.”
Lorah confirmed that the shooter was dead but did not say how many people had been killed. Erie News Now reported that nine people died.
“Based on the information currently available to us, there is no ongoing threat to the public. Our hearts are with the victims, their families and everyone affected by this tragedy. There are no words that can adequately express the magnitude of the loss of life here,” Lorah said.
