Federal prosecutors said they will seek the death penalty for the man accused of killing 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pennsylvania last year.
Prosecutors in Pittsburgh formalized their plans to pursue the death penalty Monday by filing a notice of intent. Robert Bowers was indicted on 63 federal charges, including for hate crimes. Of the 63 charges, 22 carry the death penalty.
The 46-year-old Bowers, who police say harbored anti-Semitic views, is accused of gunning down attendees of a circumcision ceremony at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Oct. 27. Authorities say he was equipped with an AR-15 rifle and three handguns.
Eleven people died in the shooting and six others were wounded, including four police officers who responded to the scene and were attempting to confront the attacker. The dead ranged in age from 54 to 97 years old.
Bowers allegedly spoke about his intent to “kill Jews” during the attack and had a history of espousing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
