11 dead in shooting at Pittsburgh synagogue

Eleven people were killed and multiple others injured in a shooting Saturday morning at a synagogue in a Pittsburgh neighborhood known for its Jewish population, CBS Pittsburgh/KDKA reports. The suspected shooter was identified as Robert Bowers, 48, law enforcement sources told CBS News and KDKA. Bowers surrendered and was taken into custody.

Bowers burst into the Tree of Life synagogue and indiscriminately fired in the building while shouting, “All Jews must die,” police sources told KDKA. Three officers were shot during the incident, officials said. The extent of their injuries are unclear.

Gov. Tom Wolf arrived at the shooting scene Saturday and called the shooting an “absolute tragedy.”

“These senseless acts of violence are not who we are as Americans,” Wolf said in a statement. “My thoughts right now are focused on the victims, their families and making sure law enforcement has every resource they need.”

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Saturday, President Trump said the shooting was “far more devastating” than anyone previously thought. When asked if the shooting prompted new gun laws, Mr. Trump said, “If they had protection inside, the results would have been far better.”

“This is a dispute that will always exist, I suspect, but if they had some kind of a protection inside the temple, maybe it could have been a very much different situation. They didn’t — he was able to do things that unfortunately he shouldn’t have been able to do.”

The synagogue, which is located on the corner of Wilkens and Shady Avenue, was packed full of congregants for its weekly Shabbat services. Police said they received calls from people who were barricaded inside the building, KDKA reports.

Squirrel Hill is a residential neighborhood located about 15 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh.

This story is developing. Police check back for updates.