Gunman who killed 11 in deadliest antisemitic attack in US history sentenced to death
Robert Bowers, responsible for killing 11 people at a synagogue in 2018, will be put to death
The gunman who stormed a synagogue in the heart of a Pittsburgh Jewish community and killed 11 will be sentenced to death.
In the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history, Robert Bowers spewed hatred of Jews and white supremacist beliefs online before methodically planning and carrying out the 2018 massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue.
Bowers, a 50-year-old truck driver, also wounded two worshippers and five responding police officers.
On Wednesday, the same federal jury that convicted Bowers on 63 criminal counts recommended that he be put to death for the attack.
A judge will formally impose the sentence later.
The verdict came after a lengthy trial in which jurors heard in chilling detail how Bowers reloaded at least twice, stepped over the bloodied bodies of his victims to look for more people to shoot, and surrendered only when he ran out of ammunition.
In the sentencing phase, grieving family members told the jury about the pain of their lossed and the lives that Bowers took, which included a 97-year-old woman and a disabled man.
Survivors testified about their own lasting pain, both physical and emotional.
Through it all, Bowers showed little reaction to the proceeding that would decide his fate - typically looking down at papers or screens at the defense table.
He even told a psychiatrist that he thought the trial was helping to spread his antisemitic message.
It was the first federal death sentence imposed during the presidency of Joe Biden, whose 2020 campaign included a pledge to end capital punishment.
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