Family patriarch and a grandfather: Who was the 45-year-old gunman behind the fatal shooting of 8 people in Erie, including 1-year-old toddler

A man who lost his toddler in a mass shooting in Erie, Pennsylvania, has said that the attacker was a grandfather who never seemed to be in distress, according to the Associated Press. "Him every day, him smiling and being just — you would think of nothing like that would happen," Julius Windham said as he stood at a memorial for victims of the shooting, including his one-year-old daughter Amarianna.

What happened at the Erie house?

On Sunday, mourners gathered to remember the victims outside the home where the gunman opened fire around 5 pm on Friday (Oct. 9). The shooter took his own life after the attack.


Police found the bodies of the one-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy on the first floor; two women and two young men in a stairwell; and the shooter on the second floor. Two women were found dead outside the house.

What did the police say?

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said at a press conference: "Out of respect for the victims and the families, I will not discuss the details of what our officers encountered inside that home." Lorah added: "But I want our community to understand the gravity of what happened and the profound impact this tragedy has had on those involved and on our community as a whole."

Who was the shooter?

The gunman was the family's patriarch and 45 years of age. His name has not been revealed by the authorities, but Chief Lorah said he was related to seven of the victims. The eighth was a friend of a woman in the family, who was pregnant, according to the officer. Police have not released the names of the victims either.

Lorah did not discuss the motive, but suggested that mental health could be a factor behind the crime. Nicole Eller, whose best friend was among the victims, said that the shooter was "a good guy, and then he started going downhill with everything."

‘Heart breaks for this family’

Addressing the victims' families, Erie Mayor Daria Devlin said at a news conference on Saturday: "What happened to you was horrific, and there is nothing that any of us can say today that will make this any easier...Our entire community is with you, we’re grieving with you. And we are here to support you."

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a social media post on Saturday: "My heart breaks for this family. Lori [Shapiro's wife] and I are praying for their loved ones and the entire Erie community." The Erie shooting has similarities to a 1982 massacre in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in which a man killed 13 people, including five of his own children.