He shouts: ‘I hate Jews’ as he kills 11
SUSPECT Robert Bowers
A woman’s vigil at synagogue CHILLING Account linked to him featured this image A 97-YEAR-OLD woman was among 11 people massacred at a synagogue by a gunman who shouted: “I want to kill Jews.”
Rose Mallinger was the oldest victim of alleged killer Robert Bowers, 46, who also shot dead couple Bernice and Sylvan Simon, 84 and 87, and brothers Cecil and David Rosenthal, 59 and 54.
Officials yesterday named all 11 victims killed in the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
The suspect reportedly told a SWAT officer after being shot and captured: “They’re committing genocide to my people. I just want to kill Jews.”
Bowers is also accused of wounding six people, including four police officers.
Murder and hate crimes are among 29 charges against him, announced as officials revealed harrowing details.
Emergency services began receiving calls just before 10am on Saturday, from people saying they were being attacked.
Bowers is alleged to have shot in the hand one officer who first entered the building. Another was hurt by “shrapnel and glass”. An officer told dispatchers they need to “evacuate some hostages”.
Police reported seeing a spent magazine left by the gunman who was armed with an AR-15 and three handguns.
An officer said: “We’re evac’ing one right now, still alive. We’ve at least four in the atrium DOA (dead on arrival).” The team then found four more bodies and an injured man and woman.
Bowers allegedly hit the main congregation and a second area. He was found on the third floor before 11am.
“Contact. Contact. Shots fired. Shots fired,” said a voice before the gunman gave up at 11.08am after injuring two more officers.
Mayor Bill Peduto called it the “darkest day of Pittsburgh’s history”. The other victims are: Joyce Feinberg, 75, Richard Gottfried, 65, Jerry Rabinowitz, 66, Daniel Stein, 71, Melvin Wax, 88 and Irving Younger, 69.
On social media network Gab, used by the the far right, posts linked to Bowers had vile rants and a gun image captioned: “My glock family.” SCENE FBI officials survey area VILE Anti-Semitic rant linked to Bowers using make America great again hashtag