LA-Area Police 'Monitoring' Deadly Synagogue Shooting In Pittsburgh
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Los Angeles Police officials said the department is following a shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh Saturday that left nearly a dozen people dead and several others injured.
The alleged shooter, identified as 46-year-old Robert Bowers, was taken into custody after a gunfire exchange with police. Officials said Saturday the gunman was in "fair condition" after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
Bowers is believed to have made anti-Jewish comments during the shooting, which unfolded on a Shabbat morning at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel High neighborhood.
"Currently, we are monitoring the situation in Pittsburgh," said Officer Greg Kraft of the LAPD's Media Relations Section, who added that police would also monitor Los Angeles' many synagogues. "We do have patrols currently going, within our divisions."
A short time later, the LAPD tweeted the department is "monitoring the situation in Pittsburgh very closely."
RELATED: 11 Dead, Several Others Shot At Pittsburgh Synagogue
Extra patrols will be established around places of worship Saturday, the LAPD later tweeted.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore tweeted thoughts and prayers to the city of Pittsburgh.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell sent out these similar tweets.
Pasadena Police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said there will be extra patrols at the city's lone synagogue and that she has reached out to the synagogue's rabbi, leaving him with her contact information. Santa Monica Police Lt. Saul Rodriguez said the department is in the process of making periodical checks at their city's synagogues and that the department has reached out to the area rabbis.
"We're going to make sure that we're (the police department) available to the congregations," Rodriguez said. Chris Togneri, a spokesman for the Pittsburgh police department, said that three officers had been shot and that the suspect was in custody.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting survivors and victims' families and to help repair the physical damage to the building.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
