Authorities in Erie, Pennsylvania, are investigating a mass murder-suicide in which a 45-year-old man allegedly killed eight family members and a female friend before taking his own life. The victims included his pregnant daughter, Angelina Stone, her two young children and an unborn baby who was expected to be delivered within days. Police responded to reports of a shooting at a home on Perry Street at around 5 pm on Friday, October 9. Officers found multiple victims inside the property and two women who had been fatally shot outside. The suspect was also found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Stone was reportedly just days away from giving birth to her third child, whom she had named Kyrie. Her two other children, son Isaiah, aged around five, and daughter Amari’anna, who was almost two, were among those killed. The unborn baby was included in the reported death toll, bringing the total number of victims to nine. Relatives described the children as innocent victims of the violence. The father of one of Stone’s children told local outlet Erie News Now that the suspected gunman was the father of his former partner, expressing grief over the death of his young daughter.

Two other women, aged 51 and 37, were reportedly shot outside the home after arriving at the scene. Police believe the women were trying to get someone inside the house to respond when they were attacked. Investigators have not publicly established a motive for the killings. On Sunday, October 11, police said they were withholding some identifications while surviving relatives were still being notified. The investigation remained ongoing as authorities worked to establish the circumstances leading up to the shooting.

Also Read: Bill Gates Says World is Not Where It Needs to Be on AI Regulation

The shooting occurred in the 700 block of Perry Street on Erie’s East Side. According to the details released by police, victims were found in different parts of the property, including on the first floor and in a second-floor stairwell. The victims included young children, women and men. The suspect was later found dead, and a firearm was recovered. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah described the scene as the worst he had experienced during his career, reflecting the scale of the tragedy confronting responding officers.

Investigators are examining footage and audio from a Ring doorbell camera at a neighbouring residence to reconstruct the events. The recording reportedly showed two women pacing outside the house and repeatedly knocking on the door in an apparent attempt to attract a neighbour’s attention. Police said the audio captured what they believed were faint, muffled gunshots, a scream and additional shots. Investigators believe the women outside may have been struck during this sequence. Chief Lorah also clarified that officers did not fire gunshots after arriving at the scene, saying loud noises heard during the police response came from flashbang devices deployed by the SWAT team.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro addressed the killings at a campaign event on Saturday, describing the day as a dark one for the state. His remarks also referred to an ambush involving two Philadelphia police officers. Meanwhile, Erie police have not announced a motive for the family killings, and the identities of some victims were being handled cautiously as relatives were notified. The case has drawn attention to the devastating consequences of domestic violence, although investigators have yet to publicly explain what prompted the shooting or establish a complete account of the events leading to it.

Also Read: IndiGo Air Hostess Vents to MS Dhoni, Gets Advice and a Joke