In the aftermath of the shocking Tree of Life synagogue shooting, President Donald Trump made a serious demand. He unapologetically gave his thoughts on the fate of the alleged shooter who took so many lives. Now, as prosecutors prepare their case, they seem to be responding to Trump’s demand.
The acts of evil against the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh have shocked and saddened many. A sole criminal stormed a house of worship, taking the lives of eleven people — including a Holocaust survivor. The mass shooting was the worst anti-Semitic attack on U.S. soil. It has shaken a community to its core.
The federal government was quick to act. Police apprehended the shooter, alive. Because of the heinous crimes perpetrated, the FBI and DOJ have gotten involved. The alleged killer will be prosecuted by federal authorities.
Shortly after the man was arrested, President Trump spoke about his fate. As Commander in Chief and head of federal law enforcement, he gave his uncensored opinion on what should happen to the shooter if he is convicted.
Following a mass shooting and the arrest of a suspected gunman at a synagogue in Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump used the opportunity to call for tougher criminal justice penalties.
Specifically, he told reporters that the person responsible for the Saturday morning massacre deserves to receive capital punishment.
“Anybody that does a thing like this, that innocent people are in temple or in church — and you have so many incidents with churches — they should be, they should really suffer the ultimate price,” Trump said. “They should pay the ultimate price.” [Source: Western Journal]
“I think one thing we should do is we should stiffen up our laws in terms of the death penalty. When people do this, they should get the death penalty,” President Trump says after shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue pic.twitter.com/5MDgebRl41
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 27, 2018
President Trump did not mince words when he said he wanted the killer to “pay the ultimate price.” Critics scoffed.
The deliberate act of opening fire on a house of worship should be condemned by every American. This was not a random act. This was not a “crime of passion.” The shooter planned this out, choosing a day and time he knew would provide him with many victims. According to reports, he said he wanted to kill “as many Jews as possible.” His motives were clear.
On top of that, he injured four police officers in the line of duty.
This killer deserves to face the strictest punishment for his evil actions. Now, federal prosecutors have announced they are following the president’s lead and are pursuing the death penalty.
Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the man accused of opening fire Saturday inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11 worshipers during the anti-Semitic rampage.
…
Bowers faces 11 counts of criminal homicide, six counts of aggravated assault and 13 counts of ethnic intimidation in addition to 29 federal counts that include weapons offenses and hate crime charges.
The death penalty is legal in Pennsylvania, though current Gov. Tom Wolf halted the process when he took office in 2015. The last person executed under the death penalty in Pennsylvania was in 1999 — which was the first execution in the state since 1962. [Source: Fox News]
Considering this has become a federal case, it remains to be seen if Pennsylvania law will supersede federal law. The killer might be tried outside of the state, given the FBI and DOJ’s involvement. Regardless of those details, the fact that federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty shows how serious this administration is taking acts motivated by hate.
Soon after the events of the shooting, liberal media outlets were quick to blame President Trump and conservatives. Much in other cases of national tragedy, Democrats didn’t stop to mourn or show respect to the victims. Instead, they were quick to politicize the horror, in hopes of hurting the Trump administration.
Americans weren’t buying it. President Trump and the GOP have been strong allies of Israel and the Jewish people. He scored a major victory when he moved the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, despite fierce backlash from the left and anti-Semites.
On top of that, evidence suggests the alleged killer hated Trump and did not vote for him. The president’s call for the death penalty should put any doubts to rest. Not that the left will give him any credit.