In national news, A right-wing, anti-semitic shooter opened fire during a baby-naming ceremony at a Pittsburgh synagogue on Saturday, killing 11 people and wounding six others.
Four police officers were among those injured.
A forty-six year old white male Trump supporter was arrested at the scene and charged with the attack. Police say the gunman walked into the building with an assault weapon and yelled, quote “All Jews Must die.”
The suspect owns an arsenal of legally-acquired weapons. He recently posted on social media “screw your optics, I’m going in”, along with pictures of his guns.
Trump responded to the shooting by calling for armed guards at places of worship.
The attack Saturday follows another shooting last Wednesday in Kentucky, in which a white male gunman went to a black church and tried to force his way in through locked doors. When he couldn’t get in, he went to a nearby supermarket and began targeting black people to shoot. He ended up killing an older black man and woman before he was arrested.
These shootings also come the same week as the so-called ‘MAGA’ bomber, named after the Trump slogan ‘Make America Great Again’, who sent fourteen pipe bombs to democrats and the media before he was arrested in Florida.
In Pittsburgh yesterday, Jewish leaders blamed Trump for fomenting hate, saying that Trump is not welcome in Pittsburgh until he fully denounces white nationalism, stops targeting and endangering all minorities, and ceases his assault on immigrants and refugees.
Faith-based communities and organizations across the country have expressed their anger, sadness, and solidarity with the Jewish community after the murders.
One of those organizations in the Portland area is the Institute for Christian Muslim Understanding. For fifteen years, the Institute has provided opportunities for Christians and Muslims in the Portland area to meet and have conversations. They sent out a statement this morning reacting to the Tree of Life shooting, and one of the Institute’s co-chairs, Nancy Haught [HAWT] spoke to KBOO reporter Sam Bouman this afternoon.
- KBOO