Breaking news on Saturday morning in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: an active shooter in Tree of Life Synagogue right in the midst of Saturday morning Shabbat services. News is sparse right now, but there are reports of numerous casualties. It is unclear if this is a hate crime or a random shooting, but life footage on all news stations shows a hostage situation with the shooter barricaded in the synagogue with the shooter inside.
Reports on MSNBC state that calls to police dispatch report that Shabbat service attendants heard "20 to 30 shots" with numerous people down.
How much has Trump's hate speech contributed?
We will update this story as more details emerge
UPDATE 11:28am: Shooter in custody, 3 police officers injured (condition unknown), numerous casualties (number unknown still)
UPDATE #2 11:40am: 12 shot (including 3 cops), 8 dead, although number may go up. Shooter screamed anti-semitic slurs and rants while shooting. Used AR weapon. Suspect injured, surrendered.
UPDATE #3:
UPDATE #4 12:44 pm: Shooter is Rob Bowers, 46 years old Pittsburgh resident. His social media presence contained lots of anti-Semitic content, including diatribes against a Jewish organization called HAIS, which helps refugees from the countries donald trump vilifies. Bowers "calls them hostile invaders to dwell among us." Trump pulls "good guy with a gun" argument. (~Aliza)
UPDATE #5 5:00 pm: 11 people have died now. 6 hurt, no children among the victims. (~Aliza)
