Gunman targeting Jews kills 11 in Pittsburgh synagogue

By John Altdorfer and Chriss Swaney

 

A SWAT police officer and other first responders respond after a gunman opened fire at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 27, 2018. REUTERS/John Altdorfer

 

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - A gunman yelling, “All Jews must die,” stormed a Pittsburgh synagogue during Saturday services, killing 11 worshippers and wounding six other people including four police officers, before he was arrested.

 

U.S. attorney for western Pennsylvania Scott Brady told a news conference that charges could be filed later on Saturday against the suspected shooter, 46-year-old Robert Bowers from Pittsburgh.

 

"The actions of Robert Bowers represent the worst of humanity. We are dedicating the entire resources of my office to this federal hate crime investigation and prosecution," Brady said.

 

The U.S. Department of Justice will file hate crime and other criminal charges against Bowers that could lead to the death penalty, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said.

 

FBI special agent Bob Jones said the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is leading the probe into the attack, believed Bowers was acting alone, adding: "We have no knowledge that he was known to law enforcement before today."

 

KDKA television cited police sources as saying Bowers walked into the building and yelled “All Jews must die.”

 

Bowers was in a hospital in fair condition with multiple gunshot wounds. Patients at area hospitals included a 61-year-old woman, a 70-year-old man, and a 55-year-old officer. No children were killed, authorities said.

 

Three police officers were shot and one was injured by shrapnel, authorities said. Two of the six people injured were in critical condition.

 

RAGING AGAINST 'INVADERS'

 

A social media post by Bowers on Saturday morning said a Jewish refugee organization, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, "likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

 

The comment was posted on Gab, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based social networking service created as an alternative to Twitter. In a statement, Gab.com confirmed the profile belonged to Bowers and also said it had suspended the account and contacted the FBI about it.

 

The shooting, for which Bowers had an assault rifle and three handguns according to the FBI's Jones, prompted security alerts at houses of worship around the country. It follows a spate of pipe bombs found mailed in recent days to prominent political figures, mostly Democrats including former President Barack Obama.

 

The Tree of Life synagogue in the city's Squirrel Hill neighbourhood, a heavily Jewish area, was holding a Shabbat religious service at the time of the shooting.

 

Police are normally only present at the synagogue for security on high holidays, Michael Eisenberg, former president of the synagogue, told KDKA.

 

"On a day like today, the door is open, it’s a religious service, you can walk in and out," he said.

 

Around the time, three congregations amounting to about 100 people would have been using the building, Eisenberg said.

 

Shortly after reports of the shooting emerged, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet he was watching what he described as a "devastating" situation.

 

Trump told reporters later that the killings might have been prevented if there had been an armed guard in the building.

 

“If they had some kind of a protection inside the temple maybe it could have been a much more different situation, they didn’t," he said when asked about a possible link to U.S. gun laws.

 

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said, "This is likely the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States."

 

On April 13, 2014, a pair of shootings occurred at a Jewish Community Center and a Jewish retirement community, both located in Overland Park, Kansas. A total of three people were killed in the shootings.

 

In 2015, a white supremacist murdered nine African Americans during a prayer service in Charleston, South Carolina.

 

In 2012, a neo-Nazi gunman with white supremacist ties walked into a Sikh gurdwara - or house of worship - in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and murdered six Sikh Americans.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-28

Another day of ‘winning’ in America. 

 

I wonder why all these nut bags feel so empowered??

 

 

What an evil scumbag.

It pains me to say this as I have both friends and family who are American, but I have run out of sympathy.

 

I haven't run out of sympathy for the families and friends of all those who died at the Synagogue; I can't imagine the pain and horror and my heart breaks for them.

 

I have run out of sympathy for Americans in general on this issue. Newton, Vegas, Florida, Texas, Minnesota, etc etc etc and many many more places have seen mass shootings, yet the US has done virtually nothing to combat it. Nothing. While bodies lay bleeding on the street, we hear pro-gun people saying "now isn't the time" to talk about it. We hear anti gun people swearing that this time is different, but it isn't. 

 

It is the same thing over and over and over and over again.

 

I know that there are Americans who are as horrified as I am, but to be blunt; whatever you have done to stop this kind of thing from occurring again, it is NOT sufficient. And, for those 'Second Amendment' people, I hope for your sake that the Atheists have it right because if there is a God, you are going to have a few things to answer for.

 

If I thought that the US was serious about trying to find solutions to this, I'd be standing shoulder to shoulder with you until the day I died looking for an answer, but I don't. The only thing I can say is;

 

Reset the clock until the next one.

 

Tick...Tick...Tick...Tick...

 

It is sickening that a country allows this to occur unanswered...

 

59 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

46-year-old Robert Bowers from Pittsburgh.

Just another crazy US gun lover that cements the facts of USA as the most danfgerous country in the world regarding mass shootings out of wierd reasons.

Right, there has just been another mass shooting where 11 were killed with an assault rifle at a synagogue in Pittsburgh and the first thing Trump did was protect the NRA by stating that it probably wouldn't have happened if they had armed guards.  He then refused suggestions from his staff to cancel tonight's rally in Illinois and is going ahead with it saying that he couldn't disappoint all of those people.  Absolutely no empathy for anything or anybody.  The only places left in America that will be safe without armed guards will be the donut shops!

28 minutes ago, HappyAndRich said:

Just another crazy US gun lover that cements the facts of USA as the most danfgerous country in the world regarding mass shootings out of wierd reasons.

No, there is much more to this.

I am sure Trump will blame the media, again! RIP

Another Nutter on a so called Crusade to destroy the Infidel. In this case People at a Synagogue . Most likely will simply be described as Mentally deranged. But these people from Hate groups no matter what pursasion they subscribe to. They are all emboldened by a President who lauds Bullying and delivers anti Immigrant sentiments. All minorities become targets. Sad but true

My sympathy for the innocent victims

Individuals in the US appear to be taking their example from the countries govt; when there is something going on you dont like invade and kill. It has become a very uncivilised country with so much hate and aggression in that melting pot, now being stirred by an unstable president, that I see no way for a quick cure of their troubles.   

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

It pains me to say this as I have both friends and family who are American, but I have run out of sympathy.

 

I haven't run out of sympathy for the families and friends of all those who died at the Synagogue; I can't imagine the pain and horror and my heart breaks for them.

 

I have run out of sympathy for Americans in general on this issue. Newton, Vegas, Florida, Texas, Minnesota, etc etc etc and many many more places have seen mass shootings, yet the US has done virtually nothing to combat it. Nothing. While bodies lay bleeding on the street, we hear pro-gun people saying "now isn't the time" to talk about it. We hear anti gun people swearing that this time is different, but it isn't. 

 

It is the same thing over and over and over and over again.

 

I know that there are Americans who are as horrified as I am, but to be blunt; whatever you have done to stop this kind of thing from occurring again, it is NOT sufficient. And, for those 'Second Amendment' people, I hope for your sake that the Atheists have it right because if there is a God, you are going to have a few things to answer for.

 

If I thought that the US was serious about trying to find solutions to this, I'd be standing shoulder to shoulder with you until the day I died looking for an answer, but I don't. The only thing I can say is;

 

Reset the clock until the next one.

 

Tick...Tick...Tick...Tick...

 

It is sickening that a country allows this to occur unanswered...

 

Well said.

Americans would go crazy if they thought their guns were going to be taken from them.

Most Republican and even democratic politicians don't even want to mention gun control because they wouldn't get re-elected. 

The mass shootings will continue. That's for sure.

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Reset the clock until the next one.

 

Tick...Tick...Tick...Tick...

 

It is sickening that a country allows this to occur unanswered

This morning, after my shower, I turned the news on to catch a few minutes (of doom and gloom).

BREAKING NEWS told of a bomb scare in Buffalo, New York, USA. Duty was calling, I could not wait to hear the details.

Arriving home some 6 hours later, repeat, check the news to see what was happening in Buffalo.

But this time, BREAKING NEWS was about the synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

God Bless America.

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

No, there is much more to this.

Doesn´t matter how much more you or others believe it is to it. Totally irrelevant.
You can not take away:

* He must be crazy

* He is a US citizen

* There is always a wierd reason. (Most probably that he missed out on mothers milk as a child)

* US has by far the highest statistics regarding mass shootings in the world. (Fact is that US mass shootings can be compared to the rest of the world combined.)

* The point above, cements that there are more lunatics in the US than anywhere.

All of the above proves that I was right on point from start, and that there is no need to dig up a wierd and irrelevat wacko underlying meaning.

 

A social media post by Bowers on Saturday morning said a Jewish refugee organization, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, "likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

 

 

An odd conflation of anti-semitism and anti-immigrant fervor, where the gunman feels his only option is to resort to killing "our people".

 

I would imagine his social media and stickers on his vehicle will reveal more affecting his turn towards becoming a radical religious terrorist?

 

Now I'm off to cower, awaiting the arrival, in a month or two, of a caravan of (invaders?) malnourished women, children, and men, wielding paper plates.

 

 

 

I blame the social media, with people spewing out crap about the Jewish conspiracy, Jews are running the banks, federal reserves, bringing immigrants into the country, Zionists are running the world and Jews are responsible for 9/11.

 

The easily influence believe all this crap and fake news and this shootings by some nut job is the result.  Also the nut job sending nail bombs and a lot more are the results from social media, especially facebook that is as dangerous as any deadly weapon.

 

Facebook should be shut down, it`s bad for society as a whole that destroys lives.

11 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

I blame the social media, with people spewing out crap about the Jewish conspiracy, Jews are running the banks, federal reserves, bringing immigrants into the country, Zionists are running the world and Jews are responsible for 9/11.

 

The easily influence believe all this crap and fake news and this shootings by some nut job is the result.  Also the nut job sending nail bombs and a lot more are the results from social media, especially facebook that is as dangerous as any deadly weapon.

 

Facebook should be shut down, it`s bad for society as a whole that destroys lives.

Why just Facebook and not all social media ?   All as bad surely ?

Another day, another mass shooting. Americans really do love their guns.

 

Got a little problem? A grudge? Just go on a rampage and spray some bullets. Instant stress relief for the simple-minded.

Prayers for the victims.

 

 

Arm the rabbis - problem solved!!

1 minute ago, Becker said:

Arm the rabbis - problem solved!!

I can visualize it already ..... a rabbi with a six shooter on each hip.

Waiting for the pic of the shooter wearing the infamous red cap.

 

2 minutes ago, Becker said:

Arm the rabbis - problem solved!!

Yeah, DT said that if they had an armed guard...

As if it's their fault and they could have avoided this.

 

 

Welcome to “Trump World” whose rhetoric against asylum seekers, immigrants, Muslims, minority groups, women, America’s allies, and freedom of speech has encouraged white supremacy hate groups to come out of the woodwork and cause unrest in USA. 

2 minutes ago, bendejo said:

Waiting for the pic of the shooter wearing the infamous red cap.

 

Yeah, DT said that if they had an armed guard...

As if it's their fault and they could have avoided this.

 

 

Knowing the moral monstrosity currently defiling the WH he probably thinks it is.

14 minutes ago, Becker said:

Arm the rabbis - problem solved!!

 

I realize this was meant to be humorous...but,

 

Four police officers were wounded, including two SWAT members with this gunman. All are highly trained in firearm usage, and active shooter response techniques.

 

Having armed security at a house of worship, posited by the President as a "solution" in response to this tragedy, seems like a strange way to address the underlying problem(s)?

5 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

I realize this was meant to be humorous...but,

 

Four police officers were wounded, including two SWAT members with this gunman. All are highly trained in firearm usage, and active shooter response techniques.

 

Having armed security at a house of worship, posited by the President as a "solution" in response to this tragedy, seems like a strange way to address the underlying problem(s)?

If there was armed sercurity at the front door, there would most likely be 12 dead as he would have planned for it.

5 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

I realize this was meant to be humorous...but,

 

Four police officers were wounded, including two SWAT members with this gunman. All are highly trained in firearm usage, and active shooter response techniques.

 

Having armed security at a house of worship, posited by the President as a "solution" in response to this tragedy, seems like a strange way to address the underlying problem(s)?

I was being facetious because arming more civilians is actually being proposed as a solution () by the gun nutters every time there's a mass murder with military style weapons.

The victims have my deepest sympathy but I know for a fact that the mass killings will just continue until the demographics have changed sufficiently for a proper gun debate to take place.

1 hour ago, HappyAndRich said:

no need to dig up a wierd and irrelevat wacko underlying meaning.

???? Are you having a problem stating the simple reason for the murders? I'll help -  violent antisemitism.

10 minutes ago, wayned said:

If there was armed sercurity at the front door, there would most likely be 12 dead as he would have planned for it.

 

Agreed. Assuming the perpetrator assessed the target previously, any armed guard would likely be pre-identified and targeted first.

 

Pro-gun folks will then tell us that parishioners must be armed too - and the gun lobby likes to highlight those (rare?) instances where an armed civilian has successfully intervened, but they fail to highlight the instances where casualties are increased when more people are spraying bullets to and fro.

12 minutes ago, wayned said:

If there was armed sercurity at the front door, there would most likely be 12 dead as he would have planned for it.

Maybe yes, maybe no, there are so many tactical scenarios that would be off topic.

 

But I do know that in at least one Orthodox temple in Alaska, one of more of the parishioners is always armed and as well trained as a police officer.

54 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

I blame the social media, with people spewing out crap about the Jewish conspiracy, Jews are running the banks, federal reserves, bringing immigrants into the country, Zionists are running the world and Jews are responsible for 9/11.

 

The easily influence believe all this crap and fake news and this shootings by some nut job is the result.  Also the nut job sending nail bombs and a lot more are the results from social media, especially facebook that is as dangerous as any deadly weapon.

 

Facebook should be shut down, it`s bad for society as a whole that destroys lives.

99% of FB users can use it responsibly. 99% of gun owners can use them responsibly. Do you really want to screw the 99% because of idiots? ...or would it be more rational to enact policy to restrict the 1%?