Hate crime in Pittsburgh

Shooter Opens Fire At Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue In Pittsburgh

Active shooter with hostages at the Tree of Life Congregation in Squirrel Hill at the corner of Wilkins and Shady Avenues.

One or more shooters right now, with shotguns, reportedly.

At least four people dead - some reports said eight or more - and two officers wounded.

Update, a shooter has surrendered to police.

His talk confirms anti-Semitic outlook.

Reportedly he was shouting "All these Jews need to die" while doing his murdering.

City cops were the first responders, city SWAT got there quickly, county police sent a bomb squad to check out the place.

FBI there, too.

I saw two guys walk by on the street wearing ATF jackets.

The mayor and other officials are there in the street with the police and local newsies.

News outlet KDKA reported that multiple people were dead after a gunman began shooting inside the synagogue, which was crowded for a Saturday service. 

Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Safety said in a tweet that an “active shooter” was still in the general area.

NBC is still saying eight or more dead at 1138 EDT.

Update, Howard Fineman was just on saying he is from Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh is still his home town, he knows the area and the city well and grew up going to Tree of Life.

He said he is not sure but if 8 or 10 were killed that could be the most devastating attack on a synagogue in the US, ever.

He is expressing great shock, particularly in light of the neighborliness of people in Pittsburgh and their respect for its many ethnicities.

Pittsburgh, he points out, is an especially peaceful city, and Squirrel Hill one of its more peaceful neighborhoods.

A city, he says, that is centered on education and research nowadays rather than heavy industry.

Reportedly, NYPD has sent more than usual police presence to synagogues and other Jewish centers in the city.

Other cities are likely doing that sort of thing, too.

Update 1218 EDT, Governor Wolf and Senator Casey are waiting on the street with locals and others, waiting for word.

Robert Bowers is the shooter.

Update 1245 or so.

Asked about gun laws the Duce said to newsies there should have been guns inside so the shooter could have been stopped.

He had spoken to people from the NRA before speaking to the press about all this, so that's where he got his unbelievably stupid talking points.

Asked whether he was saying there should be armed guards in all churches and synagogues he shrugged and said he hated to say it but it's a violent world so maybe that's the answer.

If there had been a guard maybe only one person would be dead, the shooter himself, he said.

And he heaped praise on the city police, etc.

He ranted about bringing the death penalty into vogue for church or temple or school shootings and that killers should not wait 10 years or more on death row before being killed.

He angrily complained about lawyers and appeals just gumming up everything.

He and his sort don't even bother to lie that they want law and order.

Law and order are due process, and all that due process stuff is just bullshit, to them

Recall how hugely angry and frustrated he was at the suggestion from Republicans that if he wanted to be able to deport every new illegal at the border he would have to hire thousands of judges.

He insisted he wanted to hire thousands of guards, and no judges.

Judges? We don't need no stinking judges.