Synagogue shooter found guilty in deadliest attack on Jewish community in US history

Jurors determined he had intentionally targeted Jewish people in his attack

Robert Bowers, the man accused of killing 11 people during a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been found guilty.

Bowers was found guilty on all 63 counts he faced, which included hate crimes resulting in death and the obstruction of the free exercise of religion resulting in death.

The ruling comes more than four years after he attacked the synagogue.

On 18 October, Bowers walked into the synagogue with an AR-15 and other guns and began firing at the congregants. The attack would become the worst anti-Semitic attack in US history.

In addition to the 11 people he killed, Bowers also injured seven people, including five police officers who engaged him in a shootout.

During their closing arguments, the prosecution told the jurors that Bowers had specifically targeted Jewish people in his attack, and even told police at the scene that "all these Jews need to die."

Bowers' defence attorney, Elisa Long, argued that her client was delusional and believed that Jewish humanitarians were assisting in an "invasion" of refugees into the US. In reality, the individuals were assisting refugees to settle in the US after they had already arrived.

Just before the attack, Bowers posted a message to the right-wing chat site Gab railing against refugees and a Maryland-based humanitarian group.

"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," he wrote.

Prosecutors called 60 witnesses during the trial, including congregants who survived the attack.

Mr Bowers' defence team did not call any witnesses and did not deny that he was the gunman, but instead argued against the hate crimes charges brought against the man.

Had the defence been successful in its argument, it would have prevented the prosecution from seeking a death penalty against Bowers.

Many of the families of the victims have supported the death penalty for Bowers, according to the BBC.

The sentencing phase of the trial is expected to pick up again in a week, and is expected to last approximately six weeks.