At least eight dead and multiple injured – including three police officers – after a ‘white man with a beard’ opens fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue shouting ‘All these Jews must die’ before surrendering to SWAT
The shooting was at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill area of Pittsburgh on Saturday
The gunman is in the building but has surrendered to police on the scene
Three people were killed on the main floor and three were killed hiding in the basement
He is injured and has been cornered on the third floor after shooting at least two cops
Two of those shot were police officers and their conditions are not known
The shooting happened on the Sabbath, one of the busiest days of the week for the synagogue
The gunman has been described as a white man with a beard who is wearing blue jeans and green jacket
By JENNIFER SMITH
DAILYMAIL.COM
27 October 2018
At least eight people are feared to be dead and others are injured after a shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh.
The shooting occurred at the Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill area of Pittsburgh shortly before 10am.
The gunman, who has been described as a white man with a beard, is in custody.
According to police sources, he yelled: ‘All Jews must die’ before surrendering to police following a gun fight on the third floor.
The antisemitic gunman killed three people on the ground level, four in the synagogue’s basement and at least one other person before fleeing to the third floor where he exchanged gun fire with police before surrendering.
Three cops were shot. One was shot in the hand and did not suffer life threatening injuries.
The condition of the other two officers is unknown.
Saturday mornings are often the busiest in the week at the synagogue, with dozens packing in to observe the Sabbath.
Others were there to attend a Bris ceremony.
‘On a day today the door is open you can walk in an out,’ the synagogue’s former CEO told CBS Pittsburgh.
‘Like most religious institutions, we have an open door,’ he said.
He added that security had been a ‘major’ concern for him in the past and that he was working with the DHS to improve escape routes and emergency procedures.
‘It was a major concern for me , for us. We were working with the DHS to evaluate exit routes, I just spoke to our maintenance person who was able to get out.
‘We were working with the other synagogues on what to do if this happened,’ he said.
He said of the building’s maintenance man: ‘He was shaken, he saw one of our congregants down, he knew, he was in the bathroom and he was able to get out of the building.’
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