Woman killed, 3 hurt in shooting at Chabad synagogue in California

Two people hug as another talks to a San Diego County Sheriff’s deputy outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday, April 27, 2019

Times of  Israel and agencies report, “One person was killed and three more were injured when a gunman opened fire inside a Chabad synagogue outside of San Diego, California, during services Saturday morning, authorities said. A man was detained and authorities boosted patrols at places of worship as a precaution, police in Poway, California, said, exactly six months after a shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue killed 11 people in the deadliest attack on Jews in US history.”

“Authorities identified the fatality as an older woman who had been at the synagogue and succumbed to her wounds in the shooting. Police said the gunman, named as John Earnest, used an AR-style assault weapon. A female minor and two male adults, including a rabbi, were also injured but were in stable condition, according to authorities. “Rabbi is in surgery after suffering defensive wounds to his index fingers. 34-year-old man and minor patient were hit by shrapnel from bullets. They’re doing well,”‘ the San Diego Sheriff’s Office said.”…

“Authorities identified the shooting suspect, 19, as a white male from San Diego. Investigators were reviewing his social media activity and establishing the legitimacy of an open letter published online rife with anti-Semitic themes and which said the shooter was inspired by an attack last month on a mosque in New Zealand. “We have copies of his social media posts and his open letter and we’ll be reviewing those to determine legitimacy of it and how it plays in to the investigation,” San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said.” (more…)