A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Here's what reported grand jury in Trump case may look like NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: People walk past the Trump Tower as the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins in Washington on February 09, 2021 in New York City. After listening to nearly four hours of legal arguments, the Senate has voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the impeachment trial of former President Trump. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Report: US companies may have benefited from forced labor of Uyghurs WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from Cross- Hall of the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Israel and Hamas announced that they would agree to a cease-fire, which will take into effect on Friday, following days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 26: A view of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail yard where a mass shooting occurred on May 26, 2021 in San Jose, California. A VTA employee opened fire at the yard, with preliminary reports indicating nine people dead including the gunman. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East (CNN) — A 19-year-old man was in custody after a shooting at a California synagogue on the last day of Passover left at least one person dead and several others wounded, the city’s mayor said Saturday. The shooting occurred at Congregation Chabad in Poway, north of San Diego, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said. He described it as a possible hate crime. President Donald Trump, speaking outside the White House Saturday, told reporters, “At this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all of those affected and we’ll get to the bottom of it.” The Palomar Medical Center Poway received four patients from the shooting, according to a trauma surgeon. One patient, a 60-year-old woman, died at the hospital, Dr. Michael Katz said. An employee of the synagogue identified the dead woman as Lori Kaye. “The other three victims are doing well with their injuries,” he told reporters. A 57-year-old rabbi who was shot suffered what looked like defensive wounds to both of his index fingers. He will likely lose his right index finger, the doctor said. A 34-year-old man and a girl had shrapnel injuries. The girl, whose age was not given, was wounded in one leg and in the face. She was transferred to a children’s hospital and will be monitored overnight. Vaus said he considered it a hate crime “because of statements that were made when the shooter entered.” San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore later identified the suspect as John Earnest, of San Diego. Authorities are investigating to see whether Earnest is connected to arson at a mosque in nearby Escondido from last month, he said. The mayor said the congregation was targeted by “someone with hate in their heart … towards our Jewish community and that just will not stand.” The congregation “took security very seriously,” he said. Gore told reporters that the gunman was armed with an “AR-type assault weapon.” Authorities said an off-duty Border Patrol agent fired at the shooter as he was fleeing the scene, but didn’t hit the suspect. Gore said it appears the agent, who the sheriff thinks is a security guard, hit the suspect’s car. It is unclear why the suspect fled but it is possible his gun might have malfunctioned, the sheriff added. The suspect fled the scene and called 911 to say he was involved and give his location, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. A San Diego K-9 officer arrived and the shooter surrendered without incident, he said. Gore said the suspect was being interviewed by detectives and the FBI. The sheriff refused comment on a motive. “I want you to know this is not Poway,” Vaus told reporters. The sheriff’s department announced later that authorities believe the shooter acted alone. Rabbi, while wounded, calls for unity Congregation member Minoo Anvari, who said her husband witnessed the shooting, said the rabbi called for unity and prayed for peace even after getting shot. “Rabbi said, ‘We are united,’” said Anvari, a refugee from Iran. “This is something bad (that) is happening all over. And we have to believe that this bad thing is real and we don’t have to ignore it.<doc-sep>The San Diego County Sheriff's Department released the following: Sheriff Bill Gore would like to update the public with the following information. Detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department along with members of several local, state and federal agencies have been working throughout the night, interviewing approximately 100 people who were victims and witnesses to the shooting that occurred at the Chabad of Poway. Detectives also served several search warrants and processed the crime scene at the synagogue, as well as the suspect's residence in San Diego and his vehicle. The investigation is continuing as detectives process evidence and interview additional witnesses. The suspect, 19-year-old John T. Earnest, was booked into custody on one count of murder in the first degree and three counts of attempted murder in the first degree. There is no indication at this point in the investigation that Earnest was part of an organized group. We believe he acted alone and without outside support in carrying out the attack. We are continuing to explore every investigative avenue to bring out all the facts in the case. The Sheriff's Department would like to acknowledge another act of courage that occurred at the synagogue yesterday. Oscar Stewart, who is fifty-one-years-old and resides in Rancho Bernardo, rushed at the shooting suspect, chasing after the suspect as he fled the synagogue to a vehicle parked nearby. Mr. Stewart caught up to the vehicle as the suspect was about to drive away. While Mr. Stewart was near the vehicle, an off-duty Border Patrol Agent caught up to the vehicle and yelled for Mr. Stewart to get out of the way. The Border Patrol Agent then fired a weapon in the suspect's direction striking the vehicle as it drove away. Mr. Stewart risked his life to stop the shooter and saved lives in the process. The Sheriff’s Department continues to express its sincerest condolences to those affected by yesterday’s crime. Our hearts go out to those going through this difficult time.<doc-sep>The rabbi was celebrating the last day of Passover with his congregants at Chabad of Poway when a gunman in a green army-style vest, armed with a semiautomatic weapon, burst in and began shooting. Voices screeched, “Hide yourself! Shooting! Shooting!” Congregants dropped to the floor. One man threw his body over his 2½-year-old grandson; another was wounded ushering children to safety. A 60-year-old woman was killed when she jumped in front of the rabbi, whose hands were pierced by gunfire. An 8-year-old girl was hit with shrapnel in the face and leg. The attack was described by some of the 100 worshipers who were inside the synagogue celebrating one of the most sacred holidays in Judaism. As police across the state boosted patrols around synagogues, the small city of Poway’s tightknit Jewish community was reeling. Advertisement “Why? The question is, why?” said Minoo Anvari, whose husband was inside the synagogue during the attack. “People are praying.” RELATED: Poway synagogue shooting suspect linked to anti-Semitic internet manifesto » Authorities arrested the suspected shooter, John T. Earnest, who they believe was motivated by hate and, a month ago, may have tried to burn down an Escondido mosque. Investigators were checking the authenticity of an anti-Semitic screed the 19-year-old Rancho Peñasquitos resident allegedly posted online before the 11:20 a.m. shooting. Earnest, who is white, reportedly wrote in the letter that he was willing to sacrifice his future “for the sake of my people.” He also talked about planning the attack, noting that he drew inspiration from gunmen who killed scores of people at a Pittsburgh synagogue and two New Zealand mosques. “How long did it take you to plan the attack? Four weeks. Four weeks ago, I decided I was doing this. Four weeks later, I did it,” he wrote, describing himself as a nursing student who plays the piano. The violence came exactly six months after a gunman killed 11 people and wounded seven others during Saturday morning Shabbat services at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and underscores concerns about rising incidents of anti-Jewish hate. Anti-Semitic incidents around the nation have been increasing since 2013, with the biggest all-time annual jump coming in 2017, when the tally climbed 57% to 1,986, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The majority of those incidents were harassment, which rose 41% to 1,015 incidents, including 163 bomb threats against Jewish community centers and synagogues. Vandalism rose 86% to 952 cases. The number of physical assaults fell from 36 to 19. Advertisement 1 / 15 Children light candles during the vigil to remember the death of Poway resident Lori Gilbert-Kaye. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 15 Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, center, meets with members of the congregation of Chabad of Poway the day after a deadly shooting at the synagogue. Goldstein was shot and lost a finger on his right hand. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 15 A woman leaves flowers at small memorial near Chabad of Poway. (Hayne Palmour IV / TNS) 4 / 15 Mourners attend a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (Sandy Huffaker / AFP/Getty Images) 5 / 15 People mourn at a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (David McNew / Getty Images) 6 / 15 People attend a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (David McNew / Getty Images) 7 / 15 Police evacuate a cul de sac in San Diego’s community of Rancho Peñasquitos and surround a house related to the investigation of the synagogue shooting in Poway. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 15 Chabad of Poway members gather outside their synagogue after a man shot multiple people on Saturday, killing one. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 15 Police surround a house related to the investigation of the synagogue shooting in Poway. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 15 San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, center, discusses Saturday’s synagogue shooting. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) 11 / 15 Members of the media and the surrounding community gather near the Altman Family Chabad Community Center in Poway after Saturday’s shooting at Chabad of Poway synagogue. (Hayne Palmour IV / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 15 President Trump speaks to the media about Saturday’s deadly shooting in the San Diego area. (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) 13 / 15 A sheriff’s deputy walks in front of the Altman Family Chabad Community Center in Poway. (Hayne Palmour IV / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 15 An FBI agent gives information to the media outside Chabad of Poway on Saturday. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) 15 / 15 Jessica Parks, right, hugs Tina White outside Chabad of Poway synagogue. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) President Trump offered condolences to the Poway victims and their families from the White House lawn Saturday. “My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected,” he told reporters. “At this moment, it looks like a hate crime.” Founded in 1984 by Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Chabad of Poway is affiliated with Lubavitch, a branch within Orthodox Judaism’s Hasidic movement. It bills itself as a place where “traditional Jewish values are brought to life in a joyous, non-judgmental atmosphere.” Advertisement It grew quickly, attracting families to a congregation modeled on the bustling Jewish enclaves that existed in New York City and Eastern Europe. Dozens moved within walking distance so they could follow the requirement not to operate machinery on the Sabbath. The campus underwent a $1.7-million expansion project in the mid-1990s, building a 13,000-square-foot facility with a sanctuary, a meeting hall and offices. RELATED: Rabbi gives sermon of strength after being shot at Poway synagogue » Like many synagogues around the country, Chabad of Poway responded to earlier mass shootings by increasing its security through grants from the federal Department of Homeland Security — $81,000 in 2006 and $75,000 in 2010. “One message from all of us in our congregation is that we are standing together. We are getting stronger,” said Anvari, the synagogue member. “Never again. You can’t break us. We are strong.” Advertisement<doc-sep>“This is one more demonstration that we have a new normal, and that we have become so divided that . . . we are allowing the divisions to lead to hate and allowing the hate to lead to violence,” Hickenlooper, who was governor during the Aurora movie theater shooting in 2012 that killed 12 people, told reporters after speaking at a labor forum in Las Vegas Saturday afternoon. “It is a combination of President Trump’s leadership at the top but tied into some of the real challenges we have around issues of mental health. People seem so vulnerable to the hatred.”<doc-sep>
SAN DIEGO — A man walked into a Chabad synagogue near San Diego and opened fire, leaving one woman dead and three other people injured on Saturday, the last day of Passover. The suspect, John T. Earnest, 19, of San Diego, was in custody, authorities said. Earnest is a student at the California State University San Marcos, the school's president said. "This individual was with an AR-type assault weapon and opened fire on the people inside the synagogue," said San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said. Danny Almog was inside the synagogue when the gunfire erupted and people went to the floor. "And I look to the entrance and I see a guy — he was like 5'6, 5'7, white, with like glasses with a vest on and I think it was an M16," Almog told reporters. “And he was just standing there, like shooting, shooting, shooting everybody." Almog said he started screaming for his kids, who were in another room. His father-in-law grabbed one of his children and ran. A friend, Almog Peretz, "grabbed all the kids in his hands and was just running, running towards the exit." Almog called Peretz, who he said was shot in the leg while escaping with the children, a hero. He said they fled through a back door. As the gunman fled the Chabad of Poway, an off-duty Border Patrol agent in the area fired at him, hitting his car, Gore and San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said at a news conference. Nisleit said a San Diego police officer was en route to the scene when he overheard on a scanner that a suspect had called the California Highway Patrol to report that he was involved in the shooting and gave his location. The officer went to the location and “clearly saw the suspect in his vehicle, the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody" Nilsei said. Police saw a rifle sitting on the front passenger seat, he said. Sheriff's detectives and FBI investigators were examining a possible link between the suspect and a March 24 arson fire at a mosque in Escondido, a city just north of Poway. Authorities said graffiti left at the scene of the fire referenced the March 15 attack in New Zealand that killed 50 Muslim worshippers. "We’re currently working with the Escondido Police Department and the FBI to determine Earnest’s possible involvement in the arson at the mosque in Escondido about a month ago," Gore told reporters. Among the four people shot was a 61-year-old woman who died, said Michael Katz, a trauma surgeon at Palomar Medical Center. A girl and two men, including a rabbi who was shot in the hand, were stable, he said. Gore, who called the shooting a "senseless act of tragedy," would not release details of the suspect or a possible motive, saying he is being interviewed by police and the FBI. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said in a phone interview with MSNBC that “it was a hate crime, and that will not stand." "We are grateful to those in the congregation there that engaged the shooter and prevented this from being a much more horrific incident," Vaus said. Members of the Chabad synagogue hug as they gather near the Altman Family Chabad Community Center, Saturday, April 27, 2019 in Poway, California. Hayne Palmour IV / The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP Chabad of Poway had advertised an 11 a.m. "Passover Holiday Celebration" online. Saturday is the traditional weekly day of Jewish Sabbath,, and this Saturday was also the final day of Passover, a week-long holiday marking the deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in ancient Egypt. "My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected, their families, their loved ones,” President Donald Trump said Saturday. "Obviously it looks right now, based on my last conversations, it looks like a hate crime," he said. Vaus tweeted that Trump called him from Air Force One and offered assistance. Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2019 The Chabad synagogue serves as a community center for ultra-Orthodox Jews, and Chabads in general are known for reaching out to non-Orthodox Jews to encourage them to partake in Jewish life and join some celebrations.