Erie police SWAT officers breach residence where nine people died in tragedy
Investigators say nine people died in a tragedy at an Erie, Pennsylvania, home entered by police SWAT officers. The suspect had already died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before officers went inside. Authorities also clarified that sounds reported as additional gunfire were actually flash-bang devices and chemical munitions deployed during the tactical response.
Relatives of the victims said the grandfather accused of killing eight people — including a pregnant woman and two young children — had appeared distressed before the massacre in Erie.
“I think that was a front for him,” Julius Windham said Sunday as he stood at a memorial for the victims. Among those killed were his 1-year-old daughter, Amarianna; her pregnant mother; the woman’s 5-year-old son; and her unborn child.
“Him every day, him smiling and being just — you would think of nothing like that would happen,” Windham said.
Julius Windham visits a memorial outside the Erie, Pennsylvania, home where authorities say a gunman killed several people, including Windham’s daughter, on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
The 45-year-old gunman died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound following Friday evening’s violence, Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said. Authorities have not released the names of the shooter or victims, but Lorah said the gunman was related to seven of the eight people killed. The eighth victim was a friend of the pregnant woman.
Nicole and Debra Eller said they had known the family for more than three decades. Their close friend was among those killed.
Nicole Eller said the shooter “was a good guy, and then he started going downhill with everything.”
“They were a lovely family. Who would have thought this would ever happen?” Debra Eller said. “Oh my gosh, this is so upsetting. This should have never happened to her or the kids or anybody. His grandchildren, his kids, how can you do that?”
Firefighters clean blood outside a home at 722 Perry Street in Erie, Pennsylvania, after nine members of a family were killed in an apparent domestic dispute on Oct. 10, 2026. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Mourners gathered Sunday outside the house, where they left candles, flowers and stuffed animals. Windham wore a T-shirt displaying photos of the women and children who died, beneath the words, “Forever In My Heart.”
“Words can’t even explain what I’m going through right now,” Windham said. “But I gotta be strong for my community, you know what I’m saying? My family, my daughters, my sons, everybody.”
Investigators recovered video and audio that captured muffled gunshots inside the house shortly before two “distressed” women arrived and began pounding on the door, Lorah said. The gunman then stepped outside, shot the women as they ran toward him and went back inside.
A pregnant Pennsylvania woman who was only days from giving birth and her two young children were among eight people killed Friday in a mass shooting at an Erie home, according to authorities and local reports. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images and GoFundMe)
Police arrived within minutes after receiving an alert from ShotSpotter, a system that detects possible gunshots, authorities said. No further gunfire occurred after officers reached the scene, Lorah said. He explained that later sounds mistaken for gunshots were produced by flash-bang devices used by SWAT officers.
After deploying a drone and robot, officers entered the residence. They found the two women dead outside, the 5-year-old boy and 1-year-old girl on the first floor, two additional women and two young men in a stairwell, and the shooter on the second floor.
“Out of respect for the victims and the families, I will not discuss the details of what our officers encountered inside that home,” Lorah said at a news conference. “But I want our community to understand the gravity of what happened and the profound impact this tragedy has had on those involved and on our community as a whole.”
The home at 722 Perry Street in Erie, Pennsylvania, is shown after nine members of a family were killed in an apparent domestic dispute on Oct. 10, 2026, the city of Erie said Saturday. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Lorah declined to address a possible motive but indicated that mental health may have played a role. Investigators plan to interview relatives and examine the cellphones belonging to the women killed outside the home.
“They knew something was going on at that house,” Lorah said. “We have to figure out what that is.”
Lorah said the scene was devastating for first responders.
“Some scenes stay with you long after you leave them. This is one of those tragic scenes,” he said.
Erie police responded to the 700 block of Perry Street on Oct. 9, 2026, following reports of two women shot outside a residence. (Erie Police Department)
Erie Mayor Daria Devlin said the police department “arrived at a horrific scene, faced unimaginable circumstances, and carried out their duties with courage and professionalism.”
“They too are members of this community, and they too will carry the weight of what happened last night,” Devlin said at a Saturday news conference, addressing the victims’ families directly: “I am so deeply sorry. What happened to you was horrific, and there is nothing that any of us can say today that will make this any easier.
“Our entire community is with you, we’re grieving with you. And we are here to support you.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he spoke with Devlin and offered his administration’s “full support” after what he called “the tragic mass shooting.” Speaking later at a campaign rally outside Philadelphia, Shapiro also referenced the shooting of two Philadelphia police officers earlier Saturday.
“Today has been a dark day across this commonwealth,” Shapiro said.
District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz urged the public not to spread unverified information while investigators continue their work.
“Please do not allow rumors, speculation or unverified information to add to the pain that these families are already experiencing,” Hirz said.