Eight people, including two children, were killed in a deadly shooting at a home in Pennsylvania, according to local reports.
The incident happened in the city of Erie on Friday evening.
Police were called to the area at around 5:00 pm after reports of gunfire. Officers arrived and found two women dead in the street outside the property.
The suspected gunman then barricaded himself inside the house while police surrounded the building.
Officers repeatedly ordered him to come outside. More gunshots were heard during the standoff, increasing fears that more people were trapped inside.
When police eventually entered the home, they discovered several additional victims.
Among those killed were two children.
The suspected shooter was also found dead inside the property with what police described as an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities had not immediately released the identities of the victims or the suspected attacker.
The exact motive behind the shooting also remained unclear.
Police officers who responded to the scene were reportedly offered counselling because of the traumatic nature of the incident.
The Erie Police Department initially declined to provide further public details.
Local officials were expected to address the shooting at a press conference on Saturday.
The tragedy has once again drawn attention to mass shootings and gun violence in the United States.
Firearms remain widely available across the country, while efforts to introduce stricter gun controls continue to face political and legal opposition.
Communities affected by such attacks often face long-term emotional trauma, especially when children are among the victims.
The investigation is expected to focus on the gunman’s background, possible motive and the sequence of events that led to the killings.
