A gunman reportedly yelling, „All Jews must die,“ assaulted Saturday The Tree of Life synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, killing 11 synagogue visitors and wounding six other people including four police officers, before he was arrested.
The suspect identified as Robert Bowers, 46, was arrested after a shootout with a SWAT team. US Federal prosecutors charged him with multiple criminal counts including violence and firearms offenses, and violating US civil rights laws, Reuters reported Sunday.
„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,“ US attorney for western Pennsylvania Scott Brady told reporters, cited by Reuters.
US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania said in a separate statement that the suspected gunman Pittsburgh was charged on Sunday with 29 criminal counts.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Saturday that the suspect will face charges that may lead to death penalty. FBI official Robert Allan Jones said at the briefing on Saturday the suspect was armed with what appeared to be an assault rifle and at least three handguns.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement late on Saturday that he was „heartbroken and appalled by the murderous attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue“ and offered condolences to the families of victims of the attack on the synagogue in Pittsburgh, expressing solidarity to the Jewish community of the US city. The prime minister was joined by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, the speaker of the country’s parliament.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday pledged to visit the northeastern US city of Pittsburgh, but did not offer a certain time frame.
