End Note: I’m putting this at the top because it sums up better than anything I’ve seen the reaction to the shooting from the media and the left. From John Podhoretz at Commentary:
Based on the early evidence, the shooter was not only consumed with a hatred of Jews but possessed a kind of sneering contempt for Trump on the grounds that Trump was basically a Jewish agent or a Jew-lover himself. Trump can only be blamed for the murderous Jew-killing actions of someone who thought of him that way by people who are so consumed by hatred of him that there is nothing they won’t blame him for.
There has been a mass shooting at a synagogue in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh.
There are at least several people confirmed murdered, and the shooter is in custody. This post will be updated throughout the day.
Because initial reports in such circumstances often are wrong, we will be cautious in posting information. One thing that already is clear, however, is that the shooting is being exploited for political purposes. The NRA already is receiving the blame, as is Trump.
There are reports that the shooter was Robert Bowers, according to local CBS News:
Pittsburgh Police spokesman Chris Togneri confirmed that the suspect was in custody and three police officers had been shot. He also confirmed multiple causalities, but did not divulge exactly how many.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….KDKA sources confirm to Andy Sheehan that the suspect’s name is Robert Bowers.Pittsburgh Police spokesman Chris Togneri confirmed that the suspect was in custody and three police officers had been shot. He also confirmed multiple causalities, but did not divulge exactly how many.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.Michael Eisenberg, the past President of the Tree of Life, gave KDKA a breakdown of what services regularly go on on Saturday mornings at the synagogue.“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.”
Death toll has risen since initial reports:
Some people feel mass shooters or terrorists shouldn’t be named so as not to give them the attention they seek. The reality is that names do get reported, and the backgrounds of the people responsible for the attack become part of the story.
On Bowers’ page, he wrote about a number of conspiracy theories and his thoughts on President Donald Trump, who he said he did not vote for.
Always terrible after these events, but it’s still important to report on them:
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY
