Law enforcement sources tell CBS News and KDKA that the suspect in a fatal shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue is 48-year-old Robert Bowers. His online activity shows he posted anti-Semitic threats and conspiracy theories in the weeks before Saturday’s shooting, which left at least eight dead.
Here’s what we know about Bowers so far:
- Police said Bowers shouted “All Jews must die!” while firing indiscriminately in the Tree of Life synagogue during services. He exchanged gunfire with officers while confined on the third floor of the synagogue before being taken into custody.
- Bowers was a regular user on Gab, a social network often associated with white supremacists and extremists. Shortly after the attack, Gab was alerted to a user profile of the alleged Tree of Life Synagogue shooter. The account was verified and matched the name of the alleged shooter’s name, which was mentioned on police scanners.
- On Gab, Bowers posted dozens of anti-Semitic messages in the past month, including denials of the Holocaust and conspiracy theories about Jews destroying the planet and fueling mass migration. Many of the posts included a slur for Jews. A quote on the top of his page said, “jews are the children of satan.” He also posted about popular right-wing conspiracy theories such as QAnon.
- Bowers posted several messages on Gab supporting President Trump. “Trump is a globalist, not a nationalist,” he wrote on Thursday. “There is no #MAGA as long as there is a k–e infestation.”
- Bowers also appeared to post two cryptic warnings about the shooting hours before the attack. On Friday, he wrote about HIAS, a Jewish organization that aids refugees and recently listed congregations across America that held Shabbat services for refugees. “Why hello there HIAS! You like to bring in hostile invaders to dwell among us? We appreciate the list of friends you have provided,” Bowers wrote. On Saturday morning, about two hours before the attack, he wrote in another post, “HIAS likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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