A little more than 24 hours later, America is still mourning the deaths of 11 men and women killed inside Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Congregation Saturday morning. (Oct. 27)
Robert D. Bowers entered the synagogue shouting anti-Sematic words while firing off rounds from an AR-15 assault rifle. It’s reported Bowers exchanged gunfire with police before retreating back inside the synagogue. He eventually surrendered and was taken to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for a gunshot wound, which could either have been self-inflicted or caused by police.
Shortly after news of the latest mass shooting broke, former President Barack Obama took to Twitter to offer condolences to the victim’s and the victim’s family and also to plead for gun control.
We grieve for the Americans murdered in Pittsburgh. All of us have to fight the rise of anti-Semitism and hateful rhetoric against those who look, love, or pray differently. And we have to stop making it so easy for those who want to harm the innocent to get their hands on a gun.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 27, 2018
“And we have to stop making it so easy for those who want to harm the innocent to get their hands on a gun,” Obama tweeted.
During the week of Oct. 22, there were several acts of terrorism within the United States. On Wednesday (Oct. 24) 51-year-old Gregory A. Bush shot and killed two black people who were shopping inside a Kentucky Kroger and prior to the Kroger killing, it’s reported he attempted to enter a local black church.
On Friday (Oct.26) Cesar Sayoc was captured by the FBI after sending 13 makeshift pipe bombs to some of Trump’s biggest critics including Rep. Maxine Water, Presidents Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton as well former Attorney General Eric Holder.
When asked by reporters about his thoughts on the shooting, Donald Trump said had the synagogue had better security, then the outcome may have been different.
“If there was an armed guard inside the temple, they would have been able to stop him,” Trump said.
READ MORE: Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooter Shared Racist Views About Jews Online