Erie, Pennsylvania, Shooting, Nine Reported Dead, Including Two Children, After Perry Street Standoff

This is a developing story. Details below are limited to what officials and news outlets had reported as of October 10, 2026, and will be updated when the Erie Police Department or the Erie County Coroner’s Office releases confirmed information.

A shooting and standoff on Friday, October 9, 2026, at a home in the 700 block of Perry Street, near East 7th Street in Erie, Pennsylvania, left nine people reported dead, including two children. The suspected shooter was also found dead, and officials said there is no ongoing threat to the public. Police have not released victim names, a motive, or an official final death toll.

Quick Facts: Erie, Pennsylvania, Perry Street Shooting

Detail	What is known
Location	700 block of Perry Street, near East 7th Street, east side of Erie, Pennsylvania
Date	Friday, October 9, 2026
Police response	Around 4:50 to 5 p.m. local time
Reported deaths	Nine, including two children, according to news reports
Suspected shooter	Found dead inside the home; apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police
Official death toll	Not confirmed; the police chief declined to give a precise figure at a Friday night briefing
Victims identified	No
Motive	Not announced
Public safety	City of Erie said the situation was contained and there was no ongoing threat
Agencies on scene	Erie Police, additional law enforcement, SWAT, Erie County Coroner’s Office
Charges or lawsuit	None applicable or verified at this time

What Happened in the Erie, Pennsylvania, Shooting on Perry Street?

Erie police were called to Perry Street shortly before 5 p.m. after 911 callers reported shots fired. Witnesses told reporters they saw a man firing a handgun outside a home before he went inside. Two women were found dead outside.

A standoff followed. Police and SWAT officers set up around the home, and additional gunshots were reportedly heard while the suspect was still inside. When officers entered, they found more victims, including two small children. A local reporter relaying law-enforcement sources said bodies were found on at least two floors of the house. The suspected shooter was found inside, apparently dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Part of Perry Street stayed closed late into the night while investigators and the Erie County Coroner’s Office worked the scene.

How Many People Died in the Erie Shooting?

Reports published on October 10 put the number at nine, including two children. Erie News Now, a CBS affiliate, reported that the suspected shooter was among the people found dead. Newsweek, citing local reporting, described the toll as at least nine including the shooter. Earlier reports on the night of the shooting gave a lower count, and Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah told reporters he could not confirm or deny the number of people involved.

For that reason, this article says nine people were reported dead. It does not call that figure confirmed. Readers should rely on the Erie Police Department and the Erie County Coroner for the final count and for victim names.

What Did Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah and Mayor Daria Devlin Say?

Chief Lorah described the scene as one of the most difficult and heartbreaking his officers and investigators have ever encountered. According to local reporting, he called it the worst scene of his more than 28 years in law enforcement. He confirmed the suspect was dead and said investigators were still working to establish what happened. He declined to describe what officers found out of respect for the victims and their loved ones.

The City of Erie and Mayor Daria Devlin issued a joint statement calling the shooting a terrible tragedy, saying the situation had been contained, and expressing sympathy for the victims, their loved ones and everyone affected.

What Is Not Known About the Erie Shooting?

Several important facts have not been announced:

• The names and ages of the victims
• The identity of the suspected shooter
• A motive
• Whether the suspect and the victims knew each other or were related
• The final, official number of dead

A shooting inside a home does not by itself make this a domestic violence case, and no official has said so. Reporting that guesses at relationships or motives before police confirm them risks being wrong and can hurt grieving families. Victim identities also should not be pieced together from social media posts.

Will There Be a Criminal Case After the Perry Street Shooting?

Under Pennsylvania law, criminal homicide includes murder and manslaughter (18 Pa.C.S. § 2501), and murder of the first degree is defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 2502. Whether any charges apply here depends on what investigators find.

Because the suspected shooter is dead, there is no living defendant to prosecute in the ordinary way, and no criminal docket number has been publicly identified. Police and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office may still investigate how events unfolded. If investigators were to find that another person helped, supplied a weapon unlawfully, or otherwise broke the law, separate charges could follow. Nothing in the public record says that is the case, and this article does not suggest it.

What Pennsylvania Laws Could Apply After the Erie Shooting?

These laws explain how the legal system works in a case like this one. They do not mean any claim or charge exists.

Wrongful death and survival actions

Pennsylvania’s wrongful death statute, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8301, lets certain family members recover when a person’s death results from another’s wrongful act or negligence. The statute lists the eligible beneficiaries, generally a spouse, children and parents. A separate survival action under 42 Pa.C.S. § 8302 allows the victim’s estate to pursue the claims the victim could have brought if they had lived. Under Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 2202, the action is brought by the personal representative of the estate.

The general deadline for these claims is two years under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524, though exceptions can apply, including special rules when a minor is involved. No wrongful death or survival claim tied to the Erie shooting has been verified, and nothing in the public record says anyone is legally responsible beyond the suspected shooter.

Inheritance and estates

Families may face estate administration, funeral costs, and insurance questions. Pennsylvania’s Slayer Act (20 Pa.C.S. Chapter 88) generally bars a person who intentionally and unlawfully kills someone from inheriting from that victim. How it would apply to any estate here depends on facts that have not been released.

Crime victim rights and compensation

The Pennsylvania Crime Victims Act (18 P.S. § 11.101 et seq.) gives crime victims and surviving family members certain rights, including information and notice during a criminal case. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency runs the Victims Compensation Assistance Program, which can reimburse eligible costs such as funeral expenses, counseling and lost income. Eligibility rules and benefit limits apply, and families should confirm current terms with the program or a victim advocate.

Public records

Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. § 67.101 et seq.) gives the public access to many government records, but records of a criminal investigation are generally exempt while the matter is open. Coroner and police releases are usually the first reliable source for names and cause-of-death information. Details about the minors who died may be handled with extra care.

Firearms laws

Pennsylvania regulates who may possess and carry guns, including under 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 6105, 6106 and 6111. Whether any of these provisions matters here depends on facts investigators have not announced, including how the weapon was obtained. No official has said any firearms violation was found.

Erie Shooting Timeline: October 9 to 10, 2026

Time	Reported development
Friday, October 9, about 4:50 to 5 p.m.	Police receive 911 calls about shots fired in the 700 block of Perry Street
Early evening	Two women found dead outside the home; witnesses say a man fired a handgun before going inside
Early evening	Standoff begins with Erie Police and SWAT; more gunshots reportedly heard
Evening	Officers enter the home, find additional victims including two children, and find the suspect dead
Shortly before 9 p.m.	Chief Lorah briefs reporters and declines to confirm the number of victims
Late Friday night	City of Erie statement says the situation is contained and there is no ongoing threat
Saturday, October 10	Outlets report nine dead, including two children; investigation continues

Where Can Erie Residents and Families Find Help?

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 for emotional support, available at any hour.
• Pennsylvania Victims Compensation Assistance Program: run by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, for eligible crime victims and families.
• Erie Police Department and City of Erie: the official sources for updates and instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Erie, Pennsylvania, Shooting

How many people died in the Erie shooting on Perry Street?

News reports on October 10, 2026, said nine people died, including two children. Erie News Now reported that the suspected shooter was among them. Police had not confirmed an official total.

Where did the Erie, Pennsylvania, shooting happen?

At a home in the 700 block of Perry Street, near East 7th Street, on Erie’s east side.

When did the Erie shooting happen?

On Friday, October 9, 2026. Police were called around 4:50 to 5 p.m.

Were children killed in the Erie shooting?

Yes. News reports based on law-enforcement sources said two small children were among those found dead.

Is the Erie shooter dead?

Yes. Police said the suspect was found dead inside the home with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Has Erie Police announced a motive?

No. Investigators have not announced a motive or said how the suspect and victims were connected.

Is there still a danger to the public in Erie?

City officials and Chief Lorah said there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Has anyone been charged or sued over the Erie shooting?

No charges or lawsuits have been reported. The suspected shooter is dead, and no civil claim has been verified.

Can the families of victims bring a wrongful death claim in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania law allows certain family members and estates to bring wrongful death and survival actions in some circumstances, generally within two years. Whether a claim exists here depends on facts not yet released. Families should consult a Pennsylvania attorney.

Where can I get reliable updates?

From the Erie Police Department, the City of Erie, and the Erie County Coroner’s Office, and from local outlets such as Erie News Now, YourErie and the Erie Times-News.

Sources and Verification Notes

1. CBS Pittsburgh, “Multiple people killed, including 2 children, in reported mass shooting in northern Pennsylvania,” October 10, 2026: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/erie-pennsylvania-mass-shooting-perry-street/
2. Erie News Now, “Nine Dead, Including Children, in East Erie Shooting,” October 9, 2026: https://www.erienewsnow.com/news/nine-dead-including-children-in-east-erie-shooting/article_d29b5cb7-d769-49c6-8474-2d94776101ad.html
3. YourErie / WKBN, “‘Difficult and heartbreaking’: Multiple dead after shooting on Erie’s East Side,” October 10, 2026: https://www.wkbn.com/news/pennsylvania/difficult-and-heartbreaking-multiple-dead-after-shooting-on-eries-east-side/
4. Newsweek, “Multiple Killed in ‘Devastating’ Pennsylvania Mass Shooting,” October 2026: https://www.newsweek.com/multiple-killed-pennsylvania-mass-shooting-12550345
5. TalkErie, “BREAKING: Mass shooting on Erie’s east side,” October 9, 2026, including the City of Erie statement: https://talkerie.com/2026/10/09/breaking-mass-shooting-on-eries-east-side/
6. Statutes cited: 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 2501, 2502, 6105, 6106, 6111; 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 5524, 8301, 8302; 20 Pa.C.S. Ch. 88; 18 P.S. § 11.101 et seq.; 65 P.S. § 67.101 et seq.; Pa.R.C.P. 2202.

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice. No charges, lawsuit or compensation claim arising from this incident has been verified.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the reporting of CBS Pittsburgh, Erie News Now, YourErie/WKBN, Newsweek and TalkErie, including the City of Erie statement, as of October 10, 2026. Last Updated: October 10, 2026.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, Legal Content Researcher | Last Updated: October 10, 2026