A community shattered. A nation on edge. The slaughter today at a synagogue in Pittsburgh is said to be the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States. Eleven people are now dead and 6 injured. 46-year-old Robert Bowers, a Pittsburgh resident, is under arrest for the massacre.
BREAKING: Pittsburgh shooting suspect charged with 29 federal counts in deaths of 11 people at synagogue https://t.co/R0iuqBB0ok pic.twitter.com/OKJwPka5Es
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 28, 2018
Police say Bowers entered the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood and starting yelling “All Jews must die.” The suspect then started shooting. He allegedly had an assault rifle and three handguns. He is in the hospital with several gun shot wounds, but is said to be in fair condition. The Associated Press reports:
Bob Jones, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s office in Pittsburgh, says investigators believe Robert Bowers was acting alone. He says Bowers’ full motive still isn’t known.
Jones said the scene of Saturday’s shooting at the Tree of Life Congregation was “the most horrific crime scene I have seen” in 22 years with the FBI.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette points out:
There was an initial confrontation in which two officers were injured, Mr. Hissrich said. Two more who are members of SWAT were injured in a later confrontation, Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert said at the news conference.
The newspaper adds:
Officials said the suspect was inside the synagogue about 20 minutes.
“I believe he was in the process of exiting the synagogue when a Pittsburgh uniformed officer engaged him,” FBI Special Agent Bob Jones said.
He said that the officer was injured, and the suspect went back inside to hide from SWAT officers, who were moving toward the scene.
Witnesses described a scene of chaos and sounds of gunfire.
As for the suspect NBC News reports:
Bowers’ anti-Semitic posts and his apparent disdain for the caravan (Refugee caravan from Honduras) are tied to a viral image that appears to show refugees hopping onto the bed of a truck that had a Star of David visible on the side. The image has been widely shared on far-right forums like 4chan and the Russian propaganda operation USA Really. He reposted a screenshot of a video of the caravan that aired on Fox News, as well as other networks, that does not mention the symbol.
Bowers frequently reposted conspiracy theories.
The Jewish community in the U.S. and worldwide is reacting. Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt says:
It is simply unconscionable for Jews to be targeted during worship on a Sabbath morning, and unthinkable that it would happen in the United States of America in this day and age. Unfortunately, this violent attack…occurs at a time when ADL has reported a historic increase in both anti-Semitic incidents and anti-Semitic online harassment.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released this statement.
I was heartbroken and appalled by the murderous attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue today: pic.twitter.com/NBMO31lMU2
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) October 27, 2018
As for the leader of America, Donald Trump is getting criticism for saying early in the day that “if they had protection inside the results would have been far better.”
Donald Trump just said the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting has little to do with gun laws and if they’d had “protection,” they may have survived.
What kind of human blames victims for their own deaths because they were unarmed during a bris? One who took $30 million from the @NRA. https://t.co/zatVYPWCcf
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) October 27, 2018
Trump also decided to continue on with business, as usual, going to a scheduled speech and rally.
Trump jokes that he considered cancelling speech to FFA not b/c of the mass shooting in Pittsburgh, but b/c his hair got wet while talking w/reporters about the shooting.
"At least you know it's mine… I said, 'maybe I should cancel this arrangement b/c I have a bad hair day.'" pic.twitter.com/wLIlqQpENj
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 27, 2018
Trump, after explaining decision to continue with rally following Pittsburgh synagogue shooting: "If you don't mind, I'm going to tone it down just a little, okay?"
Crowd shouts "Noooo!"
— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) October 27, 2018
Dan Rather adds:
Mass murder at a Pittsburgh synagogue. A killer targeting African Americans in Kentucky. The bomb maker. The focus should not be only on Trump, but all who excuse, abet, or stand in silence while hate is stoked for political gain.