Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting: Prosecutors Want Death Penalty

PITTSBURGH, PA — The man federal prosecutors say massacred 11 people at a Squirrel Hill synagogue on Saturday made his first appearance in court on Monday. The initial hearing lasted only a few minutes, but enabled the public to get its first glimpse of the man charged with the heinous act.

U.S. Marshals rolled Robert G. Bowers, 46, of Pittsburgh, into the eighth-floor courtroom at 1:30 p.m. sharp. He wore a light blue sweatshirt and remained in the wheelchair. Five marshals stood by as U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Mitchell entered the courtroom.

Mitchell briefly reviewed the charges, including murder and hate crimes, against the accused gunman, and Bowers responded that he understood the charges. Federal public defenders Robert Navarro and Elisa Long represented the accused during the hearing, and declined having a review of the potential penalties he faces.

Federal prosecutors have said they are pushing for the death penalty. He is accused of the massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Eleven people were killed and six others injured in the mass shooting.

To conclude the brief arraignment, Judge Mitchell set a preliminary hearing for 10 a.m. Thursday. The accused was recommitted to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Officials declined to say where he will be housed.

After the hearing, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said that the case against Bowers will be presented to a federal grand jury within 30 days. Prosecutors expect an indictment on the murder charges and hate crimes.

Bowers was released around 9:45 a.m. Monday morning from Allegheny General Hospital where he was treated after being shot by police during the horrific 20-minute massacre.

Patch Editor Jeff Stacklin is at the courthouse:

The 11 dead range in age from 54 to 97, and the six wounded include four police officers who rushed to the scene at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

The federal complaint alleges the gunman walked into the synagogue with an AR-15 and three Glock handguns. KDKA reported he yelled "All Jews must die" when he started the massacre. At one point, he flat-out told an officer ,"I just want to kill Jews," the complaint says.

The accused gunman faces charges from Pennsylvania and the federal government, including hate crime charges. His state charges include 11 counts of criminal homicide, six of aggravated assault and 13 of ethnic intimidation, Fox reports.

He's also facing 29 federal charges:

• 11 counts of obstruction of exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death
• 11 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder
• 4 counts of obstruction of exercise of religious beliefs resulting in bodily injury to a public safety officer
• 3 counts of use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence

See more:

• Jewish Leaders Respond To Shooting, Decry Hateful Rhetoric
• Pittsburgh Synagogue Massacre: Victims Suffered Multiple Wounds
• Pittsburgh Synagogue Victims ID'd; Gunman Wanted All Jews To Die

Article image: Muslim mourners seen front of the makeshift memorial at the site of the mass shooting.| Aaron Jackendoff/SOPA Images/Shutterstock