The suspect in last weekend’s synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh pleaded not guilty on Thursday after being charged with 44 counts related to the death of 11 people, according to media reports.
Robert Bowers, who was indicted Wednesday on 44 counts related to the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday, requested a jury trial after pleading not guilty, media reports said.
According to the indictment, Bowers carried an AR-15 rifle along with several handguns during the attack, and said he wanted to “kill Jews” after the shooting as he was taken into custody. Six others were wounded.
“Hatred and violence on the basis of religion can have no place in our society,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement after Bowers was indicted. “These alleged crimes are incomprehensibly evil and utterly repugnant to the values of this nation.”
[Opinion: What the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter didn’t understand about Jews]
Bowers faces charges including with 11 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death, 11 counts of use of firearm to commit murder, and two counts obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs involving attempt to kill.
Additional charges against him include 11 counts of use of firearm in a crime of violence, eight counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs/attempting to kill a law enforcement officer, and one count of obstruction free exercise of religious beliefs/injuring law enforcement officer.
Bowers could face the death penalty if he is convicted of one of 32 counts against him, and President Trump has said that the suspect should “pay the ultimate price.”
