Shouting anti-semitic slurs, armed with an AR-15-style rifle and multiple handguns, a 46-year-old Pittsburgh man, Robert Bowers, allegedly entered a busy Pittsburgh Synagogue Saturday morning and opened fire. He is charged with 29 federal counts, according to authorities, for killing 11 people and wounding six others, including two police officers, before surrendering to authorities.
Pennsylvania officials shared their reactions to the news this weekend.
“Today, our Commonwealth and country stand in solidarity with the Jewish community of Pittsburgh,” said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., in an official statement to the press. “We mourn the loss of eleven lives at Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill and pray for their families. This was an evil act of hate and the perpetrator must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., was also distraught by the news.
“Synagogues and other places of worship are safe havens where communities come together to celebrate, pray, and reflect,” said Toomey. “What happened today at the Tree of Life Synagogue was a cowardly act of violence fueled by hate and anti-Semitism.”
From the perspective of law enforcement, Pennsylvania Attorney General Shapiro said, “The violence against the Tree of Life congregation today is horrific. It is an assault on the liberties our country and Commonwealth were founded to protect.
“When any one community is targeted with violence, intimidation or discrimination it threatens all of us and must be condemned,” Shapiro continued. “That this attack took place in a house of worship where congregants seek safety and peace is particularly perverse and is an attempt to intimidate people of faith. That attempt will never succeed.”
Casey elaborated on the heroic actions taken by Pennsylvania and federal employees, saying, “I received a briefing from the FBI and local law enforcement officials directly involved in this investigation. Our Commonwealth is grateful for the heroic actions of the Pittsburgh police officers who directly engaged the suspect and saved lives. We are also thankful for the work being done by federal, state and local law enforcement who also responded and are assisting in the investigation. People across our nation are praying for the officers who were injured today.”
On a similar note, Shapiro said, “I’m proud to stand with the brave men and women in law enforcement who put their lives at risk to save others today. I am profoundly grateful to them for their bravery,”
Shapiro continued on to say, “My prayers are with the victims of this heinous act and the loved ones left behind who grieve for them. As the congregants of Tree of Life, the people of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvanians across our Commonwealth grapple with this latest atrocity over the coming days and weeks, we must act to quell this senseless violence. There will be hard conversations ahead, looking at both our words and our laws, but they are critical for us to heal and move forward together.”
“We stand with the victims and their families in this time of tragedy. Those of us in public office have an obligation to take actions that can reduce the likelihood of mass shootings. We must come together as a nation and meet this challenge,” Casey said in closing.
