A gunman identified as 46-Year-Old Robert Bowers entered a synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and opened fire.
Emergency services arrived at the Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue at about 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT). A service was taking place at the time.
As many as 12 people were shot at the scene, including three police officers. Of that 12, eight are reported to have died.
Robert Bowers has now surrendered and is in custody but residents are still being advised to stay at home.
A spokesman for the Pittsburgh Police Department, Jason Lando, said that officers are still carrying out searches at the synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.
NBC News’ Tom Winter reports that Bowers was armed with an AR-15 ‘style’ rifle, in addition to multiple handguns.
Stephen Weiss, a resident of the Squirrel Hill neighborhood who was present inside the synagogue, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the shooting “sounded like a loud crash in the hallway.” Weiss said that he ran through the building hearing what sounded like an “automatic weapon.” He joined a group sheltering in place in the basement.
Police sources tell KDKA’s Andy Sheehan the gunman walked into the building and yelled, “All Jews Must die.”
Michael Eisenberg, the past President of the Tree of Life, gave KDKA a full breakdown of what services regularly go on on Saturday mornings at the synagogue.
“At 9:45 there were three simultaneous congregations’ services that were being held,” he said. “In the main part of the building, The Tree of Life has a service that has about 40 people in it. Just below that there is a basement area where New Life congregation would have been having their Shabbat service. There would have been 30-40 people. Just adjacent to Tree of Light’s service area, a congregation was in the rabbi study room and they would have had approximately 15 people in there.”
Robert Bowers is anti-Semitic, hated Trump and did not vote for him
Anti-Semitic Posts on social media sites GAB and Twitter from the suspected Pittsburgh shooter Robert Bowers shows he hated Jews.
He also strongly hated President Trump and thought he was controlled by Jews.
His profile illustrates that he is anti-Semitic and see’s himself as a Nazi, admired Hitler, hates Trump, clearly states that he did not vote for Trump and believes the President is controlled by Jews.
In his GAB bio section, Robert Bowers wrote, “
Bowers
You can see an archived version of Robert Bowers’ GAB account here.
President Donald Trump Tweeted his thoughts to the Pittsburgh area amid the tragedy.
Watching the events unfolding in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Law enforcement on the scene. People in Squirrel Hill area should remain sheltered. Looks like multiple fatalities. Beware of active shooter. God Bless All!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2018
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