• Zappala wants security summit in wake of attack,

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. hopes to have a summit with local religious and educational leaders — maybe as soon as next week — to talk about ways to boost security at their facilities in the wake of the Tree of Life Synagoguemass shooting.

“I want to hear what they have to say. What do they have in place now?” Mr. Zappala said Thursday.

The meeting, Mr. Zappala said, would be to discuss ways to better protect worshippers and students — possibly by having a direct line, almost like a panic button, for reporting an incident of violence to the police in the community — to increase response times, and the possible installation of security cameras that could provide live feeds back to law enforcement.

Mr. Zappala announced his plans Thursday, five days after the attack at Tree of Life in Squirrel Hill that killed 11 people during Saturday morning services.

He said he has not yet spoken extensively with Jewish leaders in the community about security measures.

“I want them to grieve their loss,” Mr. Zappala said.

Following the April 28, 2000, racially motivated mass shooting in the region by Richard Baumhammers, that killed six people, Mr. Zappala had a similar meeting with local groups. “I think it’s time we talk about it again.”

He added that Pittsburgh will also likely be the site of a meeting in the near future with the national group Prosecutors Against Gun Violence, of which he is a member. The group had an emergency meeting last November to address bump stocks following the mass shooting inLas Vegas that killed 58 people.

Shortly after the synagogue shooting, a co-chair of that organization contacted Mr. Zappala and asked if the group might bring a future meeting to Pittsburgh.