Pittsburgh shooting: Synagogue massacre suspect Robert Bowers must return to court on Thursday
Victims in the attack include two brothers in their 50s, David and Cecil Rosenthal, a married couple in their 80s, Sylvan and Bernice Simon, and 97-year-old Rose Mallinger
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Your support makes all the difference.The man accused of shooting dead 11 people inside a Pittsburgh synagogue, an incident described by prosecutors as “an horrific act of violence”, has appeared in court in a wheelchair where 29 charges were read to him aloud.
Robert Bowers, 46, who is said to have written a number of racist and antisemitic social media posts, was wheeled into the court in handcuffs and was asked if he understood the charges levelled against him.
Mr Bowers, dressed in a blue shirt, briefly had the handcuffs removed, so he could sign legal documents. The judge then read to him, the two-and-half dozen charges he faces.
Speaking from the White House just after the hearing, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders called it an "act of evil".
“This atrocity was a chilling act of mass murder, it was an act of hatred, and above all, it was an act of evil. Antisemitism is is a plague to humanity and it is responsible for many of the worst horrors in human history,” Ms Sanders said.
Ms Sanders announced that President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will travel to Pennsylvania tomorrow to grieve with the community.
The brief hearing in a packed courtroom, came just two days after Mr Bowers allegedly entered the Tree of Life synagogue in the city’s Squirrel Tree neighbourhood, armed with three hand guns and a semi-automatic rifle.
He is accused of killing eight men and three women - aged 54 to 97 - and injuring six others, among them four police officers who shot and detained him. Prosecutors said they are treating the incident as a hate crime and have requested permission to seek the death penalty if Mr Bowers is convicted.
After the hearing, US Attorney Scott Brady told reporters prosecutors the court had ordered the suspect to appear for a preliminary hearing on Thursday in relation to the “horrific act of violence”.
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U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert C. Mitchell asks Bowers if he’s seen a copy of the criminal complaint against him. Bowers says “Yes sir.”
The arraignment hearing begins. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert C. Mitchell asks Robert Bowers if he has seen the criminal complaint against him. Bowers confirms.
Bowers waived his right to a reading of the criminal complaints against him. He also waived the reading of his potential penalties.
Mitchell schedules a preliminary hearing for Robert Bowers on Thursday at 10am ET. He orders Bowers to remain in federal custody until then.
Bowers is wheeled out the court room.
U.S. Attorney Scott Brady is expected to make a brief statement shortly.
Reporters are now awaiting statement from the U.S. Attorney's office.
US Attorney Scott Brady said after the arraignment that the state believed "Robert Bowers murdered 11 people who were exercising their religious beliefs".
He added that a grand jury would hear details of the alleged crime within 30 days.
There was a heavy security presence at the federal court in Pittsburgh, with police officers with dogs and a team of sharpshooters outside.
With that, we are closing our live coverage for now.
Thanks for reading.
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