Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial — live: Survivors recall hiding in closet as Robert Bowers faces death penalty

Follow updates on the trial of gunman accused of killing 11 worshippers at Tree of Life on 27 October 2018

Attorney Scott W. Brady comments following Pittsburgh synagogue shooter Robert Bowers' court appearance

The gunman accused of murdering 11 in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018 is now on trial in a federal courtroom in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

On 27 October 2018, Robert Bowers, then 46, entered the synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighbourhood of the city armed with three handguns, an AR-15 rifle and a trove of magazines and ammunition.

Inside, he opened fire on congregants in what marks the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history.

Eight men and three women – aged from 54 to 97 – died in the massacre.

After numerous delays, the now-50-year-old is finally standing trial for more than 60 federal charges including obstruction of free exercise of religion resulting in death and hate crimes resulting in death.

During opening arguments on Tuesday, Mr Bowers’ attorneys admitted that he was responsible for the massacre but claimed that he acted on “an irrational motive” and had “misguided intent”.

Prosecutors meanwhile pointed out that, in the months leading up the shooting, the suspect had been spewing bigoted and antisemitic vitriol online.

If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Key Points

• Robert Bowers on trial for 2018 mass shooting
• Eleven victims killed in Tree of Life synagogue shooting
• Bowers faces death penalty if convicted
• Survivors recall hiding in closet to escape gunman
• Bullet-damaged prayer book and Torah rescued from Holocaust among evidence presented

[1 June 2023 08:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Trial day 2

Day two of the trial of Robert Bowers began in Pittsburgh on Wednesday morning.

Judge Robert Colville noted to attendees that a visitor to the courtroom yesterday was diagnosed with Covid-19. The judge assured those in attendance that the courtroom was cleaned and well ventilated.

[1 June 2023 09:00 · Graig Graziosi]

ICYMI: Exhibits from the shooting

Here’s a look at some of the powerful evidence presented to the jury so far.

[1 June 2023 10:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Carol Black’s testimony reveals moment fellow worshiper was killed in front of her

On day two of the trial, Carol Black, 71, a retired clinical audiologist, took the stand to share her experience on the day of the shooting.

She recalled Rabbi Jeffrey Myers telling her and others to hide in a small, dark closet as gunfire rang out throughout the building.

Another individual who was hiding with her, Mel Wax, 87, was partially in the doorway of the closet and partially in the connecting hallway.

After some time, Mr Wax thought the shooting might be over. He peaked around the door, but the shooter was in the sanctuary and fired at him. He fell to floor dying just inches from Ms Black’s feet.

Ms Black recalled having to step over his body and a pool of blood to exit the space after the shooting. She said she gave him a silent goodbye as she fled the building.

Her brother, Richard Gottfried, was also killed in the shooting.

[1 June 2023 11:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Dan Leger recalls being shot in the chest during Tree of Life mass shooting

Mr Leger was at the Tree of Life synagogue the day of the shooting.

After a recess for lunch, Mr Leger described his experiences during the attack.

He said he began to hear gunfire and instinctively moved toward the sound hoping to help others injured in the attack. When he reached the lobby, the gunman shot him, hitting him in the chest. Mr Leger collapsed in a stairway.

He told the court he is a registered nurse, realised he was losing the ability to breathe and felt he was dying.

“I am a nurse, I have been with hundreds of people that were dying, I felt like I was dying,” he said.

Thankfully, he was rescued by SWAT officers and survived his injuries.

[1 June 2023 12:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Dan Leger reveals the extent of the injuries he sustained during the Tree of Life mass shooting

Mr Leger also told the jurors about the extent of his injuries during his testimony on Wednesday.

He said his wounds left him unable to use his rectum and noted that the wound ruptured his bladder.

He said he had to undergo multiple surgeries the day of the shooting to save his life. He again reiterated that the only reason he survived was thanks to the SWAT members who rescued him.

[1 June 2023 13:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Barry Werber, who survived the shooting, says the gunman entered the room where he was hiding in the dark

Another survivor of the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue has taken the stand.

Barry Werber said he was one of the individuals hiding in the dark closet along with Carol Black and Mel Wax.

He corroborated Ms Black’s testimony that Mr Wax poked out of the door and was shot.

Mr Werber said after Mr Wax was shot, a dark figure stepped over the wounded man’s body and peered into the darkness of the room.

He said that he and Ms Black were hidden by the darkness in the room, and that the gunman left without discovering them.

[1 June 2023 14:53 · Graig Graziosi]

Trial day three begins

The third day of the Robert Bowers trial began on Thursday.

The court released evidence that was used during yesterday’s testimony.

One photo shows a staircase — this is where Dan Leger collapsed after the gunman shot him in the abdomen. He recounted lying on the stairs and feeling as though he were about to die before SWAT officers rescued him. Mr Leger’s yarmulke can be seen on one of the steps.

Another room shows a narrow closet used for storage. That room was where Carol Black and Barry Weber hid in the dark from the gunman. Mel Wax was also in that room with them, but was shot and ultimately died when he poked his head out to see if the shooting was over.

[1 June 2023 15:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Chilling photos showing from Tree of Life synagogue shooting revealed at Robert Bowers murder trial

Jurors sitting for the trial of accused Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooter Robert Bowers were shown photos of important — and in some cases, destroyed — objects at the crime scene on the first day of the alleged gunman‘s trial.

Mr Bowers is facing numerous charges for killing 11 people when police say he attacked the synagogue in October 2018.

Jurors were shown a few important items and locations from the synagogue to give them context for the rest of the trial. Among them were a Torah rescued from the Holocaust and the tiny bathroom where Rabbi Jeffrey Myers hid during the shooting.

[1 June 2023 15:49 · Graig Graziosi]

Rabbi Jonathan Perlman testimony

Rabbi Jonathan Perlman provided testimony early on Thursday.

He recalled helping Mel Wax, Carol Black, and Barry Werber hide in a dark closet while gunshots cracked elsewhere in the synagogue.

The rabbi eventually managed to escape when he found a door leading to a gutter. He managed to crawl across a neighbor’s lawn and call for police assistance.

Prosecutors asked Mr Perlman if he was still able to conduct services in the Tree of Life Synagogue despite the shooting.

He said “no.”

[1 June 2023 16:35 · Graig Graziosi]

Stephen Weiss takes the stand

Stephen Weiss, a ritual director at the Tree of Life Synagogue, took the stand after Mr Perlman.

He recalled seeing the spent shell casings from the shooter's weapon before seeing the actual gunman, and leaning on the active shooter training he had previously taken to survive. He said once he saw the casings he began ushering other worshipers away from danger.

Mr Weiss said he raced through the maze-like halls of the facility as the shots were ringing out to deliver warnings to the congregants in other parts of the building.

He eventually managed to escape into an outdoor garden. From there he put space between himself and the facility while waiting for police to arrive.