Pennsylvania

Pa. Synagogue Shooting Suspect Threatened Jewish Groups, Pushed Migrant Caravan Conspiracies

The suspect made a specific threat against Jews on the social network Gab, hours before allegedly conducting the attack

Robert Bowers, the Pennsylvania man accused of fatally shooting 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday morning, posted frequently online about conspiracy theories and made repeated threats to Jews. 

He made a specific threat against Jews on the social network, Gab, just hours before allegedly conducting the attack.

In the post, Bowers said that the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, a humanitarian aid nonprofit group that provides assistance to refugees, brought immigrants to the United States to do violence against others. 

“Screw your optics, I'm going in," he wrote.

Bowers also frequently posted about the migrant caravan, a group of several thousand refugees walking to the U.S.-Mexico border from Honduras to seek asylum.

Bowers anti-semitic posts and apparent contempt for the caravan are tied to a viral photo depicting refugees hopping onto the bed of a truck with a Star of David visible on the side.

Conspiracy theories about the image of the truck and anti-semitic comments from other users reposted by Bowers, are still visible on Gab. 

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