Topline
Robert Bowers, 50, was found guilty of killing 11 worshippers in 2018 at a synagogue in Pittsburgh with an AR-15 rifle, the deadliest attack on Jewish people in the U.S.
A makeshift memorial stands outside the Tree of Life Synagogue in the aftermath of a deadly shooting … [+]
Key Facts
On Oct. 27, 2018, Bowers burst into Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh with an AR-15 rifle, opened fire, killing 11 and wounding seven, including five police officers.
Friday morning, a jury found Bowers guilty of 63 charges including 11 hate crimes resulting in death, 11 counts of obstructing free religious exercise resulting in death and 11 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The trial included 11 days of testimony where defense attorneys didn’t deny Bowers was the man who opened fire in 2018, but rather argued that his actions were not intended to stop worshippers from practicing their faith, a hate crime, according to The Associated Press, which covered the trial closely.
The prosecutors, who are seeking the death penalty, argued Bowers targeted these victims because of their religion, extensively citing Bowers’ antisemitic and white supremacist posts online, and that he allegedly said “all these Jews need to die” at the scene, according to The Associated Press.
What To Watch For
This same jury will now decide on Bowers’ punishment: life in prison or the death penalty. It’s expected to be a lengthy process. According to The Associated Press’ reporting, Bower’s attorney’s had already shifted their focus away from attempting to clear his name of the charges and toward attempting to spare him from the death penalty.
Key Background
This incident is part of an epidemic of gun violence in the U.S. In 2018, when this incident occurred, there were 340 mass shootings in the U.S., according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that tracks shooting incidents. While there is no universal definition of a mass shooting that would standardize data, the Gun Violence Archive defines it as four or more people, excluding the shooter. The violence has only gotten worse. In 2020, the CDC reported that guns became the leading cause of death for children and teens. In 2022, there were 647 mass shootings in the US in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive. That includes high profile tragedies such as those in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas and at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.
Further Reading
Truck driver guilty of killing 11 at Pittsburgh synagogue in deadliest attack on Jews in US history (The Associated Press)
2023 Off To Historically Fast Start For Mass Shootings (Forbes)
Over 200 Killed In U.S. Mass Shootings So Far This Year—A Decade-Long High (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/willskipworth/2023/06/16/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooter-found-guilty-for-2018-mass-killing-that-left-11-dead/