United States, shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue. At least 11 victims
Rights — di Elisabetta Scuri
A man, possibly driven by antisemitic hatred, opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh, United States, killing at least eleven people.
United States, shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue. At least 11 victims
A man, possibly driven by antisemitic hatred, opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh, United States, killing at least eleven people.
Update Sunday 28 October – The suspect has been identified as Robert Bowers, a 46-year-old from Baldwin, Pennsylvania. In the past, the man had posted antisemitic content on social media, which is now the subject of investigations. He faces 29 charges, including hate crimes.
At the time of the massacre, the extremist had an assault rifle and at least three handguns on him. The shooting is the most violent attack against the Jewish community in the history of the United States, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Just two weeks after the first weekend in 25 years that New York City residents went without a shooting, the United States is once again the scene of a massacre. On Saturday morning at around 10:00 local time, a man opened fire at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killing eleven people. Six people were injured, including four police officers; this was announced by Chris Togneri, a spokesperson for the local department.
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What happened in Pittsburgh
The suspect, described as a white male, is said to have entered the synagogue during the celebration of Shabbat, the day of rest, shouting: "All Jews must die." This was reported by broadcaster CBS. The man then barricaded himself inside the building, city councillor Erika Strassburger told the New York Times. When police arrived, the killer turned his weapon on the officers, who nevertheless managed to arrest him. The synagogue is located in the Jewish neighbourhood of Squirrel Hill, where authorities urged residents to stay indoors.
And in the aftermath of this tragedy, we must come together and take action to prevent these tragedies in the future. We cannot accept this violence as normal.
Statements following the shooting
"For too long we have said: 'this time it's too much'. In light of today's tragedy, we must come together and take action to prevent similar incidents in the future. We cannot accept violence as if it were normal": these were the words of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. United States President Donald Trump also expressed his concern on Twitter, adding that if there had been an armed guard inside the synagogue he could have protected those present, and that the nation should strengthen its laws on the death penalty.