Hate crime charges added in Pgh. synagogue shooting
A man accused of opening fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October, killing 11 people and wounding seven others, now faces additional counts that include hate crimes and firearms offenses.
A federal grand jury Tuesday added 19 charges to the 44 counts previously levied against Robert Bowers of Baldwin. Bowers is being held at the Butler County Prison.
Thirteen of the new counts against the 46-year-old Bowers are hate crime violations and the others accuse him of obstructing religious beliefs and discharging a firearm during crimes of violence.
Messages left for Bowers’ lawyers weren’t immediately returned.
Bowers had previously pleaded not guilty to a number of counts, including using a firearm to commit murder and obstruction of religious exercise resulting in death.
Prosecutors say they’ve added a wounded officer to the allegations, making a total of five. Two congregants were also injured.
The indictment said Bowers posted criticism of a Jewish charity on a social media account and linked to a page that said Dor Hadash, one of the three congregations in the synagogue building, hosted refugee-related events.
“You like to bring in hostile invaders to dwell among us? We appreciate the list of friends you have provided,” Bowers posted on Oct. 10, the indictment said.
On the day of the attack, Oct. 27, Bowers again posted that the immigrant aid society “likes to bring invaders that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going on,” the indictment said.
