Gab.com is taken down after Pittsburgh synagogue shooting
PITTSBURGH -- A social media site popular with far-right extremists and where the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting suspect had a profile has been taken down. In a tweet early Monday morning, Gab.com claimed it willfully took the site down, saying it was a preemptive move to thwart the media.
In an audio statement on Twitter, co-founder and CEO Andrew Torba called Saturday's shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue that killed 11 an "act of terrorism." Torba said the site has a zero-tolerance policy for terrorism and violence.
Gab.com says it suspended the account of suspect Robert Gregory Bowers and contacted law enforcement immediately, turning over his account. The site says Bowers had accounts on other social media platforms.
Bowers is due in court on Monday. U.S. Attorney Scott Brady says federal prosecutors are seeking approval to pursue the death penalty against Bowers.
