11 gunned down at Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue in apparent hate crime

Pittsburgh police have arrested Robrt Bowers, a 56-year-old white man without incident

By Sophia Tesfaye

Senior Politics Editor

Published October 27, 2018 11:13AM (EDT)

 (Getty/carlballou)
(Getty/carlballou)

Authorities confirmed that 56-year-old Robert Bowers has been arrested in the shooting deaths of 11 people following Saturday's Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.

“It is not safe.”

Pittsburgh's public safety officer made brief remarks to reporters Saturday morning as law enforcement worked to secure an active shooter situation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood near Tree of Life synagogue. The Tree of Life synagogue is one of Pittsburgh’s oldest Jewish congregations and is located in the city’s largest Jewish neighborhood.

"Stay inside," the public safety official warned residents of the historic neighborhood. The Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety asked people to avoid the area of Wilkins Avenue and Shady Avenue Saturday morning.

The shooter is now in custody, according to Pittsburgh's mayor, and is en route to the hospital per CNN:


By Sophia Tesfaye

Sophia Tesfaye is Salon's senior editor for news and politics, and resides in Washington, D.C. You can find her on Twitter at @SophiaTesfaye.

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Gun Violence Hate Crime Pittsburgh Tree Of Life Synagogue