A man who shot and killed eleven people in a synagogue in the city of Pittsburgh, committing the worst anti-Semitic attack in US history, has been found guilty on all 63 charges, including hate crimes resulting in death. The 50-year-old far-right extremist had previously pleaded guilty to the charges and now faces the possibility of the death penalty. The verdict was issued almost five years after the attack took place.
Shooter targeted victims in Pittsburgh synagogue attack
According to the prosecution, the shooter deliberately targeted his victims in a systematic manner during the attack that took place on October 27, 2018, as worshippers from three different congregations were gathered for Sabbath services at the Tree of Life synagogue. The attacker shouted anti-Semitic slurs during the shooting that resulted in eleven deaths and left two others injured. He also injured several police officers before being apprehended.
Defense claims schizophrenia not anti-Semitism was motive for Pittsburgh synagogue attack
The defense did not deny that the defendant had carried out the shooting, but argued that he suffered from schizophrenia and had not acted out of anti-Semitic motivations. Instead, they claimed that the shooter had attempted to force a Jewish organization to stop giving support to immigrants. The defense further suggested that the shooter had acted out of an irrational desire to achieve this goal by killing Jews.
Punishment yet to be determined for shooter in Pittsburgh synagogue attack
The trial will now proceed to the sentencing phase to determine the penalty for the shooter. The defense had sought to negotiate a plea deal with the prosecution where the defendant would have pled guilty in exchange for avoiding the death penalty. However, the prosecution rejected the proposal.
Anti-Semitic incidents continue to be a concern in the US
According to estimates, there are around six million Jews living in the United States, and they continue to be the targets of anti-Semitic attacks. The Anti-Defamation League reported 3,697 incidents of anti-Semitic attacks in the past year, ranging from harassment and vandalism to physical assaults. This represented a 36 percent increase compared to the previous year and was the highest number recorded since the organization began documenting the incidents in 1979.
