Erie police clarify shooting toll: eight victims and suspected gunman dead

Authorities in Erie, Pennsylvania, confirmed nine deaths after the October 9 shooting. The total includes eight victims, among them two children, and the suspected gunman.

The clarification followed an October 10 news conference involving Police Chief Rick Lorah and Mayor Daria Devlin. A pregnant woman was among those killed. An earlier CBS report had left uncertain whether the gunman was included in the total.

Officers found two women dead outside a Perry Street home after a gunfire alert around 5 p.m. Other bodies were discovered inside. Police said the suspected shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Investigators determined that the victims and gunman died before officers arrived. Police attributed sounds mistaken for later gunshots to flash-bang devices used by SWAT personnel. Authorities said there was no continuing danger to the public.

The investigation remains active. Lorah did not identify a motive, saying investigators needed to establish the circumstances. Devlin expressed condolences to the victims' families.