Gunman in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting found guilty of all charges
The head of a local Jewish organization said it will not take an official stance on "what justice is," when it comes to a potential death sentence for the gunman behind the massacre at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue in 2018.
Brian Schreiber, the president and CEO of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, was responding to a reporter's question about divisions in the community over whether the shooter should be sentenced to death. The gunman's conviction on all charges Friday makes him eligible for the death penalty and his trial will move to a penalty phase on June 26.
Schreiber, who is a Tree of Life congregant and lost friends in the massacre, said survivors have taken the witness stand to provide important testimony despite the immense difficulty of that task. They will continue to do so in the next phase of the trial, he said.
"We look forward to hearing the direct victim-impact testimony. They will be able to tell, in their own words, what that loss feels like," Schreiber said.
"It's going to be gut-wrenching," added Jeff Finkelstein, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. "It's going to reopen wounds that keep getting reopened for us here in our Pittsburgh community — not just the Jewish community, but this greater Pittsburgh region. And I just encourage everyone to seek the support that they might need."
The Jewish Community Center has been providing support for those affected by the shooting through its 10.27 Healing Partnership program, which Schreiber said will continue to offer resources. The name of the program is a nod to the date, October 27, 2018, when the attack took place.
Source: CNN
