Bill Peduto had told his team not to call on Saturday morning unless it was urgent. The Pittsburgh mayor was planning to sleep in, a rarity, which meant certain protocols applied, including that he would answer his phone only if it rang twice.
When the first call came around 10am, Peduto was cocooned under his blanket and chose to ignore it. When the second call came moments later, the conversation with his chief of staff, Dan Gilman, was swift and matter-of-fact: “There’s been a shooting at Tree of Life, there are multiple people shot, including police.”
“Can you pick me up?” Peduto asked. Gilman replied, “I’m already on my way.”
Five blocks from his home, the deadliest attack on Jews in the US was still unfolding. Rain was pouring down on his city. His public safety director was out of town. His constituents, people he knew well – including some inside the synagogue – were about to begin an all-too-common brand of American suffering. As he stood under a tree shielding himself, hoping to stay dry, chaos built around him.