Southern Californian community in mourning following Synagogue shooting

World Today

A Southern California community is in mourning after a gunman opened fire at a Synagogue on the final day of Passover.

CGTN’s Jim Spellman reports.

Three people were wounded and 60-year-old Lori Kaye was killed.

She is being called a hero for throwing herself in front of the Rabbi– giving her own life to save his.

“Lori took the bullet for all of us. She died to protect all of us” Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of Congregation Chabad said.

Witnesses said the 19-year-old accused shooter shouted anti-Semitic rants during the attack, which apparently ended when his gun jammed. He appeared to have written a hate-filled online manifesto.

In it, he also admits to an arson attack at a California mosque in March, which police are investigating.

The attack comes as hate crimes in the U.S. are on the rise. President Trump has Jewish family members and is widely seen as pro-Israel, but critics said he has been reluctant to condemn racist and anti-Semitic white nationalists.

The White House rejects that criticism. Trump spoke about the attacks over the weekend.”We forcefully condemn the evil of anti-Semitism and hate which must be defeated,” said Trump.