ERIE, Pa. (TCN) — A 45-year-old man allegedly killed eight people, including seven relatives, before turning the gun on himself, authorities say.
Just before 5 p.m. on Oct. 9, two women arrived at a home and began pounding on the door, The Associated Press reports. Shortly after, a man came outside and allegedly fatally shot them. After police arrived, they also found a deceased 1-year-old and 5-year-old on the first floor, two women and two men deceased in a stairwell, and the alleged shooter deceased on the second floor.
Audio and video evidence examined by investigators allegedly revealed gunshot sounds from inside the home shortly before the two women arrived.
Officers arrived shortly after the gunshots were heard due to ShotSpotter, a controversial artificial intelligence-supported gunshot detection system that takes advantage of a microphone network, according to the AP.
Investigators have not yet found a motive. According to the Associated Press, they will reportedly go through the cellphones of the two women found dead outside the home in addition to conducting interviews with relatives.
Authorities have not released the shooter’s name, according to the AP, but he was allegedly related to seven of the victims. One of the victims was a pregnant woman, and the eighth victim was the pregnant woman’s friend. According to the father of the 1-year-old victim, the alleged shooter was a grandfather and the family’s patriarch.
Nicole Eller, whose best friend was one of the victims, said the alleged shooter “was a good guy, and then he started going downhill with everything,” per the AP.
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