Hate crimes charged in Pittsburgh synagogue massacre case
Rabbi Jeffrey Myers leads a gathering in Hanukkah songs after lighting a menorah outside the Tree of Life Synagogue on the first night of Hanukkah, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. A gunman shot and killed 11 people while they worshipped Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018 at the temple. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
This story has been updated.
A man accused of opening fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October , killing 11 people and wounding seven others, was indicted Tuesday on additional counts that include allegations of hate crimes.
A federal grand jury added 19 charges to the 44 counts previously levied against Robert Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pennsylvania.
Thirteen of the new counts are hate crime violations and the others accuse him of obstructing religious beliefs and discharging a firearm during crimes of violence.
Messages left for Bowers’ lawyers were not immediately returned.
The indictment said Bowers posted criticism of a Jewish charity on a social media account and linked to a page that said Dor Hadash, one of the three congregations in the synagogue building, hosted refugee-related events.
This undated Pennsylvania Department of Transportation photo shows Robert Bowers. (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation via AP)
“You like to bring in hostile invaders to dwell among us? We appreciate the list of friends you have provided,” Bowers posted on Oct. 10, the indictment said.
On the day of the attack, Oct. 27, Bowers again posted that the immigrant aid society “likes to bring invaders that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going on,” the indictment said.
Bowers was carrying several guns as he approached the Tree of Life synagogue building and shot out a large window on the building’s facade before he entered it, the indictment said.
Bowers is accused of shooting to death members of the Dor Hadash, Tree of Life and New Light congregations, which were all conducting Sabbath services when the attack began. He is accused of injuring two other congregants and five officers. Authorities had previously reported four officers were injured.
Survivors described how they hid in a supply closet and other places in the vast building as the gunman searched for more victims. Authorities said he expressed hatred of Jews during the attack and told investigators “all these Jews need to die.”
Bowers’ new charges include 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death, two of hate crimes involving an attempt to kill, three congregant victims were added to counts for obstruction of religious beliefs, and three additional firearms charges for those three congregants, federal prosecutors said.
Bowers had previously pleaded not guilty to counts including using a firearm to commit murder and obstruction of religious exercise resulting in death.
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AP writer Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed. Scolforo reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Law enforcement positioned outside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. (Matt Rourke/The Associated Press)
An earlier vversion of this story appears below.
A man accused of opening fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October, killing 11 people and wounding seven others, now faces additional counts that include allegations of hate crimes.
A federal grand jury Tuesday added 19 charges to the 44 counts previously levied against Robert Bowers of Baldwin, Pennsylvania.
This undated Pennsylvania Department of Transportation photo shows Robert Bowers. (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation via AP)
Thirteen of the new counts against the 46-year-old Bowers are hate crime violations and the others accuse him of obstructing religious beliefs and discharging a firearm during crimes of violence.
Messages left for Bowers’ lawyers weren’t immediately returned.
Bowers had previously pleaded not guilty to counts including using a firearm to commit murder and obstruction of religious exercise resulting in death.
Prosecutors say they’ve added a wounded officer to the allegations, making a total of five. Two congregants were also injured.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
