Michael OConnor
2018-10-27 17:57:41 UTC
This one is sad, as I lived in Squirrel Hill for several years as a kid and went to Wightman Elementary School, which was two blocks from the Synagogue. While I am not Jewish, Squirrel Hill was in my opinion the best neighborhood in Pittsburgh, and if I ever moved back there, there is no doubt what part of Pittsburgh I would want to live in.
https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/10/27/heavy-police-presence-near-synagogue-in-squirrel-hill/
8 Dead, Several Others Shot At Pittsburgh Synagogue
Officials: FBI Leading Investigation As Shooting Deemed A 'Hate Crime'
October 27, 2018 at 1:40 pmFiled Under:Active Shooter, Andy Sheehan, Local TV, Meghan Schiller, Robert Bowers, Squirell Hill, Synagogue Shooting, Tree of Life Synagogue
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Eight people have been killed and a number of others injured after a shooting situation at The Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill on Saturday.
KDKA’s Meghan Schiller reports that a suspect, a heavy-set white male with a beard, has surrendered. The SWAT team had been talking with the suspect, and he was crawling and injured. It is unclear the extent of his injuries.
KDKA sources confirm to Andy Sheehan that the suspect is 48-year-old Robert Bowers. It is believed that he acted alone.
According to Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich, at least six other people were injured, including four police officers. The officers’ injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The other two victims were last listed in critical and serious condition.
A total of five patients were taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. As of 1:30 p.m., three are currently in surgery and one is stable and awaiting surgery. The fifth person was treated and released.
One other patient was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital and was undergoing surgery as of 1:30 p.m.
Another person was taken to Allegheny General Hospital. According to multiple sources, that person is the suspect in the shooting, but their condition is unknown.
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· 1h
UPDATE AS OF 11:45 AM ON SATURDAY, OCT. 27, 2018: Please follow @UPMCnews on Twitter for updates.
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@UPMCnews
UPDATE AS OF 1:15 PM ON SATURDAY, OCT. 27, 2018: UPMC Mercy is treating a patient who is currently in surgery. We will provide additional updates as information becomes available. pic.twitter.com/mciiVLhDV4
1:14 PM - Oct 27, 2018
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Police sources tell KDKA’s Andy Sheehan the gunman walked into the building and yelled, “All Jews must die.” Sheehan’s sources confirmed that eight people were dead. Others had been shot, but the extent of their injuries in unknown at this time.
When officers arrived, the gunman reportedly shot at them, forcing officers to use their vehicles as a shield.
The shooting happened during weekly Shabbat services at the conservative Jewish Synagogue, the building was full of people for a Saturday service and police say they’ve received several calls from people barricaded inside the Synagogue.
active shooter 8 Dead, Several Others Shot At Pittsburgh Synagogue
Photo Credit: Tim Lawson/KDKA
Police are also investigating if he announced his intentions on Twitter this morning. That account has since been taken down.
Hissrich said this shooting is being investigated as a hate crime and as such, the FBI is leading the investigation.
A phone number has been established for any questions from family members of the victims. That number is (412)-432-4400.
A victims’ assistance and reunification center has also been set up on the campus of Chatham University. Grief counselors and representatives from the Red Cross will be on hand.
Meanwhile, KDKA-TV spoke with several people familiar with what services would have been taking place on a normal Saturday morning.
“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,” Michael Eisenberg, the past President of the Tree of Life, said.
Shooter Yelled ‘All Jews Must Die’ As He Opened Fire At Pittsburgh Synagogue
Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting: Tragedy Prompts Condemnation, Prayers From All Angles
Chuck Diamond was a rabbi at Tree of Life for seven years.
Diamond said possibly three rabbis would’ve been inside. Rabbi Pearlman from New Light was in the basement. Rabbi Cheryl Kline was in the social hall. Rabbi Meyers, the rabbi of Tree of Life, would have been in the chapel.
“I was at home [when I found out]. I live right up the street around the corner and I started getting phone calls,” Diamond said.
Meghan Schiller: Did you ever as rabbi think that you were gonna have to deal with this?
Diamond: “I thought about it all the time, I have to tell you. When I was there, in the back of my mind, I always have the thought of something like this happening and what I would do, unfortunately, because of the world we live in.”
Schiller: “What comes to mind when you hear that President Donald Trump just tweeted about this?”
Diamond: “Well again, this is unfortunately it happens too often in this country and around the world that these things happen, so it affects us all, so I’m glad that he tweeted something and hopefully he’ll take positive action.”
President Donald Trump called the shooting a “terrible thing” and said “it’s a shame to watch.”
“It’s a terrible terrible thing what’s going on with hate in our country, and frankly all over the world and something has be done,” Trump said. “It’s just a shame to watch this and to see it for so many years, so much of it, it’s a shame.”
Earlier, Trump tweeted his thoughts to the Pittsburgh area amid the tragedy.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
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!
11:08 AM - Oct 27, 2018
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Donald J. Trump
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@realDonaldTrump
Events in Pittsburgh are far more devastating than originally thought. Spoke with Mayor and Governor to inform them that the Federal Government has been, and will be, with them all the way. I will speak to the media shortly and make further statement at Future Farmers of America.
12:26 PM - Oct 27, 2018
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Trump was asked about revisiting gun laws and said if those inside had protection, “maybe it could have been a much different situation.”
“This has little to do with it. If they had protection inside the results would have been far better. This is a dispute that will always exist I suspect. But if they had some kind of protection inside the temple, maybe it could have been a much different situation. But they didn’t and he was able to do things that unfortunately he shouldn’t have been able to do,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, Gov. Tom Wolf issued the following statement regarding the incident:
“The shooting in Pittsburgh this morning is an absolute tragedy. I have spoken with local leaders and my administration and the Pennsylvania State Police will provide any resources to assist local law enforcement and first responders.
“These senseless acts of violence are not who we are as Americans. My thoughts right now are focused on the victims, their families and making sure law enforcement has every resource they need.
“We must all pray and hope for no more loss of life. But we have been saying ‘this one is too many’ for far too long. Dangerous weapons are putting our citizens in harm’s way.
“And in the aftermath of this tragedy, we must come together and take action to prevent these tragedies in the future. We cannot accept this violence as normal.”
Stay with KDKA.com for this developing story.
https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/10/27/heavy-police-presence-near-synagogue-in-squirrel-hill/
8 Dead, Several Others Shot At Pittsburgh Synagogue
Officials: FBI Leading Investigation As Shooting Deemed A 'Hate Crime'
October 27, 2018 at 1:40 pmFiled Under:Active Shooter, Andy Sheehan, Local TV, Meghan Schiller, Robert Bowers, Squirell Hill, Synagogue Shooting, Tree of Life Synagogue
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Eight people have been killed and a number of others injured after a shooting situation at The Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill on Saturday.
KDKA’s Meghan Schiller reports that a suspect, a heavy-set white male with a beard, has surrendered. The SWAT team had been talking with the suspect, and he was crawling and injured. It is unclear the extent of his injuries.
KDKA sources confirm to Andy Sheehan that the suspect is 48-year-old Robert Bowers. It is believed that he acted alone.
According to Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich, at least six other people were injured, including four police officers. The officers’ injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The other two victims were last listed in critical and serious condition.
A total of five patients were taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. As of 1:30 p.m., three are currently in surgery and one is stable and awaiting surgery. The fifth person was treated and released.
One other patient was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital and was undergoing surgery as of 1:30 p.m.
Another person was taken to Allegheny General Hospital. According to multiple sources, that person is the suspect in the shooting, but their condition is unknown.
UPMC
✔
@UPMCnews
· 1h
UPDATE AS OF 11:45 AM ON SATURDAY, OCT. 27, 2018: Please follow @UPMCnews on Twitter for updates.
View image on Twitter
UPMC
✔
@UPMCnews
UPDATE AS OF 1:15 PM ON SATURDAY, OCT. 27, 2018: UPMC Mercy is treating a patient who is currently in surgery. We will provide additional updates as information becomes available. pic.twitter.com/mciiVLhDV4
1:14 PM - Oct 27, 2018
View image on Twitter
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Police sources tell KDKA’s Andy Sheehan the gunman walked into the building and yelled, “All Jews must die.” Sheehan’s sources confirmed that eight people were dead. Others had been shot, but the extent of their injuries in unknown at this time.
When officers arrived, the gunman reportedly shot at them, forcing officers to use their vehicles as a shield.
The shooting happened during weekly Shabbat services at the conservative Jewish Synagogue, the building was full of people for a Saturday service and police say they’ve received several calls from people barricaded inside the Synagogue.
active shooter 8 Dead, Several Others Shot At Pittsburgh Synagogue
Photo Credit: Tim Lawson/KDKA
Police are also investigating if he announced his intentions on Twitter this morning. That account has since been taken down.
Hissrich said this shooting is being investigated as a hate crime and as such, the FBI is leading the investigation.
A phone number has been established for any questions from family members of the victims. That number is (412)-432-4400.
A victims’ assistance and reunification center has also been set up on the campus of Chatham University. Grief counselors and representatives from the Red Cross will be on hand.
Meanwhile, KDKA-TV spoke with several people familiar with what services would have been taking place on a normal Saturday morning.
“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,” Michael Eisenberg, the past President of the Tree of Life, said.
Shooter Yelled ‘All Jews Must Die’ As He Opened Fire At Pittsburgh Synagogue
Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting: Tragedy Prompts Condemnation, Prayers From All Angles
Chuck Diamond was a rabbi at Tree of Life for seven years.
Diamond said possibly three rabbis would’ve been inside. Rabbi Pearlman from New Light was in the basement. Rabbi Cheryl Kline was in the social hall. Rabbi Meyers, the rabbi of Tree of Life, would have been in the chapel.
“I was at home [when I found out]. I live right up the street around the corner and I started getting phone calls,” Diamond said.
Meghan Schiller: Did you ever as rabbi think that you were gonna have to deal with this?
Diamond: “I thought about it all the time, I have to tell you. When I was there, in the back of my mind, I always have the thought of something like this happening and what I would do, unfortunately, because of the world we live in.”
Schiller: “What comes to mind when you hear that President Donald Trump just tweeted about this?”
Diamond: “Well again, this is unfortunately it happens too often in this country and around the world that these things happen, so it affects us all, so I’m glad that he tweeted something and hopefully he’ll take positive action.”
President Donald Trump called the shooting a “terrible thing” and said “it’s a shame to watch.”
“It’s a terrible terrible thing what’s going on with hate in our country, and frankly all over the world and something has be done,” Trump said. “It’s just a shame to watch this and to see it for so many years, so much of it, it’s a shame.”
Earlier, Trump tweeted his thoughts to the Pittsburgh area amid the tragedy.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
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!
11:08 AM - Oct 27, 2018
45.1K
27.1K people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Events in Pittsburgh are far more devastating than originally thought. Spoke with Mayor and Governor to inform them that the Federal Government has been, and will be, with them all the way. I will speak to the media shortly and make further statement at Future Farmers of America.
12:26 PM - Oct 27, 2018
28.5K
16.9K people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Trump was asked about revisiting gun laws and said if those inside had protection, “maybe it could have been a much different situation.”
“This has little to do with it. If they had protection inside the results would have been far better. This is a dispute that will always exist I suspect. But if they had some kind of protection inside the temple, maybe it could have been a much different situation. But they didn’t and he was able to do things that unfortunately he shouldn’t have been able to do,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, Gov. Tom Wolf issued the following statement regarding the incident:
“The shooting in Pittsburgh this morning is an absolute tragedy. I have spoken with local leaders and my administration and the Pennsylvania State Police will provide any resources to assist local law enforcement and first responders.
“These senseless acts of violence are not who we are as Americans. My thoughts right now are focused on the victims, their families and making sure law enforcement has every resource they need.
“We must all pray and hope for no more loss of life. But we have been saying ‘this one is too many’ for far too long. Dangerous weapons are putting our citizens in harm’s way.
“And in the aftermath of this tragedy, we must come together and take action to prevent these tragedies in the future. We cannot accept this violence as normal.”
Stay with KDKA.com for this developing story.