Devastation and shock overtook the Jewish community Oct. 27 when 11 lives were taken and a community’s peace of mind was shattered. The October morning began peacefully as those of the Tree of Life congregation in Pittsburgh gathered to worship. That peace was quickly diminished when a gunman, carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle as well as three handguns, began shooting at random inside the synagogue. According to CNN news, the assailant, Jeffrey R. Clark Jr., was inside for roughly 20 minutes shooting and showing no mercy as he went on a rampage throughout various rooms. After firing for several minutes he met officers at the door, exchanged fire, then retreated to a third-floor room in which he would eventually surrender.
“The fact that this shooting happened at a place that was supposed to be a safe haven, a place where people can go to be together and at peace, is devastating,” junior Brooks Johnson said.
When the dust settled and damage was totaled, the news made its way around the country leaving many in a state of disbelief. Just a few hours after the shooting, hundreds were gathering at various interfaith vigils to mourn and pray. While the aftermath of the tragedy has left nothing short of heartache, confusion, and complete devastation, it has also brought the Jewish community closer together. Hallie Arnott, a Jewish student at Northwood, describes how the shooting impacted her and her family.
“At first, [my initial reaction] was shock and I sort of sat there in silence for a couple minutes because I was kind of at a loss of words,” Arnott said. “It affected me so deeply because I’m Jewish and my grandparents actually went to that Synagogue for three to four years when they lived in Pittsburgh. I was at home when it happened with my sister. When my mom saw it on the news, we immediately turned on the TV trying to figure out what happened. After that initial shock, I tried to reach out to all of my Jewish friends that I knew and loved that are part of that community.”
The shooter has now been charged with 29 criminal counts including using a firearm to commit murder and obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs. He also faces state charges, including 11 counts of criminal homicide, six counts of aggravated assault and 13 counts of ethnic intimidation. Despite having no prior criminal record, the assailant was discovered to be behind a social media account filled of anti-Jewish slurs and rhetoric.
The crime is being considered an act of hate and is the deadliest rampage in a Jewish community in American history. This shooting marks the third mass shooting in a place of worship in three years. While many have differing opinions on the cause and motivation behind such violent acts, it is agreed that a solution to stop these crimes must be found, and soon.
“Hate crimes need to stop, and if we don’t do something about it, if we just sit here and say ‘pray for these victims and it will get better if we are just respectful’– that won’t do anything,” Arnott said. “We have to take a stand and figure out the source of the problem– which a lot of people have different opinions on– but we need to compromise and come to a solution.”
–By Karli Kolls
