Officials said nine people, including two children, were killed in a shooting Friday evening in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Erie Police said it responded with a SWAT team after a gunshot detector alerted officers. They said that the deaths were not a result of police inaction and that investigators determined that all deaths occurred before officers arrived.
Police said they found the suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. No gunshots were fired after police arrived, authorities said.
WSEE-TV reported that witnesses saw a man firing a handgun outside a home. The station reported that two women were found fatally shot outside the residence.
"I want to be candid with our community," Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said. "This is one of the most difficult and heartbreaking scenes our officers and investigators have ever encountered. The loss of life is devastating, and the circumstances we are working through are deeply disturbing. At this time, we can confirm that the suspect is deceased. Based on the information currently available to us, there is no ongoing threat to the public."
The city of Erie said the shooting had brought "shock and sorrow" to the community.
"Our thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones and everyone impacted by tonight's tragedy," the city said in a statement.
