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Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting Victims Identified

Posted on: Sunday, October 28, 2018

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At a press conference Sunday morning, officials said victims of a shooting rampage at a Pittsburgh synagogue range in age from 54 to 97. All but two of the victims were over the age of 65, and include one married couple, and two brothers.

Federal prosecutors have charged Robert Bowers, 46, with 29 separate federal crimes for his attack on the Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday morning. U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said Bowers is charged with 11 counts of murdering victims who were exercising their religious beliefs, and 11 counts of using a fire arm to commit murder. Brady said each of those 11 counts is punishable by death.

“The final seven counts are based on the harm inflicted by Bowers, upon the brave police officers, who in trying to stop Bowers rampage, put their own lives in danger. Three of these brave men were shot by Bowers,” Brady said at a press conference.

At approximately 9:50 a.m., officials say Bowers entered the Tree of Life synagogue, armed with multiple weapons, included three Glock .357 handguns and an AR-15-style weapon.

Bowers killed 11 individuals and wounded two others. Four police officers were injured in the attack, and “three of them were shot by Bowers,” Brady said.

During the shooting, “Bowers made statements regarding genocide, and his desire to kill Jewish people. After a standoff with police, Bowers eventually surrendered, and remains in federal custody today,” Brady said.

Officials say they are in the early stages of an investigation, and for now, they are treating the attack as a hate crime. At this point, investigators say there is nothing to indicate Bowers had accomplices.

Bowers is scheduled to make an appearance before a federal magistrate judge on Monday, Oct. 29. at 1:30 p.m. ET.