Pittsburgh shooting: Suspect Robert Bowers faces 29 murder and hate crime charges

Federal prosecutors could seek death penalty, says US Attorney General Jeff Sessions

Robert Bowers, the man suspected of shooting 11 people dead at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, faces more than two dozen federal charges for murder, hate crimes and firearms offences.

The 46-year-old surrendered to police following the mass shooting at the Tree of Life building in the Jewish neighbourhood of Squirrel Hill.

US authorities made clear they believed the attack was motivated by religious hatred. Bowers is known to have held virulently antisemitic views.

Federal prosecutors filed 29 charges in all against Bowers, including 11 counts of using a firearm to commit murder and multiple counts of two specific hates crimes.

One is the obstruction of exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death. The other is obstruction of exercise of religious beliefs resulting in injury.

“The crimes of violence are based upon the federal civil rights laws prohibiting hate crimes,” US Attorney Scott Brady and Bob Jones, the FBI special agent in charge of the investigation, explained in a statement.

Bowers reportedly walked into the synagogue on Saturday morning yelling: “All Jews must die."

He also told police “I want to kill Jews” because they “were committing genocide to his people,” according to a FBI affidavit.

The suspected shooter had been armed with an assault rifle and three handguns, police said. Six people were wounded in the attack, including four police officers.

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said federal prosecutors could seek the death penalty in the case.

“These alleged crimes are reprehensible and utterly repugnant to the values of this nation,” he said.

At a rally in Illinois on Saturday evening, President Donald Trump told a crowd of supporters: “When you have crimes like this… we have to bring back the death penalty.”

Mr Jones said the crime scene was the worst he had seen in 22 years with the FBI. The special agent said he believed Bowers was acting alone, adding: “We have no knowledge that he was known to law enforcement before today.”

Prior to the attack, Bowers posted a comment to the controversial social media site Gab, claiming the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, “likes to bring invaders in that kill our people.”

He also wrote “I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

The company confirmed the profile belonged to Bowers also said it had suspended the account and contacted the FBI about it.

The mass shooting is the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in US history, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

“We are devastated. Jews targeted on Shabbat morning at synagogue, a holy place of worship, is unconscionable,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the ADL. “Our hearts break for the victims, their families, and the entire Jewish community.”