A man who shot dead 11 people during prayers at a synagogue on Saturday could face the death penalty for what is believed to be the worst anti-Semitic attack in the country’s history.
Robert Bowers, 46, faces 29 criminal counts, including use of a firearm to commit murder, after opening fire at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh during its Sabbath service.
Bowers is said to have entered the building just before 10am on Saturday, typically the synagogue’s busiest time of the week.
Armed with an assault rifle and three handguns, US media reports he shouted “all Jews must die” before shooting dead 11 people in a 20 minute killing spree. The oldest victim is believed to have been 97.
He surrendered after being wounded in a shootout with Swat police in which four officers were also injured.
The BBC has reported “he is now being treated in hospital for what has been described as multiple gunshot wounds” and will make an initial appearance before a judge later today. He “could face the death penalty” for the deadly rampage, says the broadcaster.
Described by The Sunday Times as a “typical Jewish suburban synagogue”, nestled on a street corner in the wealthy Squirrel Hill neighbourhood, “it was unguarded and did not expect to be attacked”.
While Bowers is believed to have acted alone Reuters reports “the mass shooting prompted security alerts at houses of worship around the country”.
Describing the incident as a “terrible, terrible thing”, Donald Trump suggested the US should “stiffen our laws of the death penalty”, but stopped short of calling for gun control, adding the shooting had “little to do” with US gun laws.
Democrats have accused Trump of fanning extremism with careless language that has sometimes included hostile references to “globalists” – seen as a euphemism for Jews – and to the Jewish financier George Soros.
The synagogue attack rounded off a week of poltically-motivated crimes, days before the midterm elections. On Wednesday, a white man shot and killed two African-Americans at a Kentucky Kroger store following a failed attempt to barge into a black church.
A day later, mail bombs were sent to several high-profile politicians and celebrities who had been criticised by President Trump.