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A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 19 OctOber 2019
After deadly shooting, Pittsburgh synagogue plans reopening

Continued from Front the massacre, including Pennsylvania Gov. Tom
members of Dor Hadash. Wolf has ordered state
The rebuilding now extends The rabbi of New Light flags to fly at half-staff on all
initial plans Tree of Life had Congregation, which had state facilities, public build-
to expand cooperation three members slain in the ings and grounds on that
and collaboration among attack, also expressed his day. He also signed a proc-
the three congregations opposition to a death sen- lamation declaring Oct. 27
and with the community, tence. Tree Of Life has said as a day of remembrance.
she said. it is confident justice will be Chuck Diamond, Tree of
Robert Bowers, 47, a truck served. Life’s former rabbi, said re-
driver from Baldwin, Penn- That collaboration likely turning to the building will
sylvania, is charged in the will include the Holocaust not only provide a stand
attack. Investigators say Center of Pittsburgh’s mov- against hatred, but also
Bowers used an AR-15 rifle ing into the building, where In this Oct. 29, 2018 file photo, a police vehicle is posted near hope for Pittsburgh and
and other weapons, and neighboring Chatham Uni- the Tree of Life/Or L'Simcha Synagogue in Pittsburgh. other communities affect-
Associated Press
that he criticized a Jewish versity also hopes to share ed by mass shootings.
charity on social media be- space, Feige said. met with experts on the “It’s a bit of a unicorn in “When people pass by that
fore the massacre, claim- “We are poised to be- Holocaust and 9/11 me- the skills set, but hopefully corner, you can’t help but
ing the immigrant aid soci- come an incredible center morials to discuss a public we can find someone who think of what happened
ety “likes to bring invaders for Jewish life in the United memorial for the Tree of Life can lead us,” she said. and the poor souls who
that kill our people.” Police States,” Tree of Life’s Rabbi shooting, and have been Synagogue leaders will lost their lives. And it’s sad,”
said Bowers also expressed Jeffrey Myers, who was advised to take their time, consider the thoughts and Diamond said. “To rebuild,
hatred of Jews during and leading Shabbat services Feige said. ideas about the building’s inspired by those wonderful
after the rampage. when the shooting started, “Regardless where that is future shared by the vic- people and their memo-
Federal prosecutors are said in a statement. “When located, whether it is our tims’ family members, wit- ries, and by honoring their
seeking the death penalty. we reopen, and we most site or not, we will obviously nesses, members from all memories, it sends a posi-
Bowers’ lawyers said this certainly will, I want the include in our plan a me- three congregations, com- tive message to the entire
week that the case would entire world to say, ‘Wow, morial, if not the memorial, munity leaders, and others world.”
be over by now if the pros- look at what they have to the 11 souls that were during several “listening He spent 10 years in the
ecutors had accepted his done.’ To do anything less lost,” she said. She called sessions,” Tree of Life said in building, which has been
offer to plead guilty in re- disrespects the memory of the eight men and three its statement. the scene of many joyous
turn for a sentence of life in our 11 martyrs.” women killed “stalwarts of The Jewish community and occasions — weddings,
prison without parole. There will be a memorial for the three congregations.” the city will hold a com- bar and bat mitzvahs, par-
The government’s decision the 11 victims, but whether “I think part of our desire memoration on Sunday, ties and baby-naming cer-
to seek the death penalty that will be the city’s pub- is to honor them and their Oct. 27 — exactly one year emonies.
disappointed some of the lic memorial remains to be commitment,” she added. after the shooting. Events “That is what it should be
people most affected by determined. Leaders have “Is it sort of the-bad-guys- will include a private Jew- remembered for, all the
win-if-we-don’t-go-back? ish service in the morning, wonderful things,” Dia-
There is a little bit of that.” community service in the mond said. “The commu-
The next steps include hir- city, studying the portion nity would like to see it as
ing a strategic planning of the Torah that was to a center for Jewish life, a
consultant well versed in be read when the shoot- symbol that nothing is go-
the Jewish community and ing happened, and a pub- ing to keep us down, like
in building collaborative lic memorial service in the we have been doing for
and space-sharing plans. evening. centuries.”q

Authorities: 2 Iowa deputies and

suspect wounded in shootout

The shooting occurred at
around 10:40 p.m. Thursday
in Stuart, about 35 miles
(57 kilometers) west of Des
Moines.
Authorities on Friday iden-
tified the injured officers
as Guthrie County Sheriff's
Deputies Steven Henry and
Jim Mink, and the suspect
as 52-year-old Randall
Comly.
The Iowa Division of Crimi-
nal Investigation said Com-
Authorities investigate the scene after multiple law enforcement ly began shooting at the
officers were shot Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 in Stuart, Iowa. deputies and a local po-
Associated Press lice officer after they were
Associated Press ment complex overnight, let into the apartment. They
STUART, Iowa (AP) — A wounding two of them and returned fire, wounding
man opened fire on sheriff's setting off a gunbattle in Comly, who surrendered
deputies serving a warrant which he, too, was wound- after a roughly 90-minute
at a central Iowa apart- ed, authorities said Friday. standoff.q