Pittsburgh Shooting

In the residential neighborhood of Squirrel Hill, located 10 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, a fatal attack took place this past Saturday. A gunman entered a Jewish Synagogue killing 11 people and injuring 6. The gunman, Robert Bowers, who is facing 29 counts of federal offenses has caused the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history (Associated Press, 2108). Bowers entered the Synagogue with an assault rifle and 3 handguns at about 10 am. At this time 3 different services were being held inside the building and without any security Bowers opened fire.

Wendell Hirsch, the Pittsburgh public safety director states “It was a very horrific crime scene”, “One of the worst I have ever seen”. Security in the Jewish communities around the country were raised and notified.

It was reported that the Synagogue was closed during the week, but the doors are open to anybody on the Sabbath (Associated Press, 2018). The sanctuary, which can hold up to 1,250 people is located in the central hub for the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, making it an ideal location for the shooter."

You know, you’re always worried that something would happen, but you never dream that it would happen like this” says Myron Snyder, head of cemetery commissions for the Synagogue.

Thousands of people gathered the streets of Squirrel Hill Saturday night. Throughout the emotional gathering people mourned for the people who died - members, staff and visitors of the Tree of Life Synagogue.

As the word of the shooting gets out, attention is raised back to the debate over guns in our country. Would the outcome have been different if there were security on staff? Democratic Rep. Tom Wolf says, “dangerous weapons are putting our citizens in harm's way”. Would changing laws about gun accessibility and ownership improve the situation of mass shootings in our country?