"Whitley" Bulger dead in prison at 89

‘Whitey’ Bulger dead in prison at 89

By MADISON GOODMAN

Staff Writer

Early morning on Oct. 27, , the Tree of life Synagogue was involved in a multiple homicide shooting. Robert Bowers, the shooter, surrendered to authorities right after the event took place.

Before the shooting, he was seen on social media posting; however, authorities did not see this as a threat since there are millions of racial and cultural comments made every day.

According to authorities, he was said to be yelling anti-semitic statementsduring the shooting, as well.

Even lives were taken that day. The lives taken consisted of the following: Irving Young aged 69, Melvin Waxaged 88, Rose Mallinger aged 97, Bernice Simon aged 84 and her husband, Sylvan Simon aged 86, Jerry Rabinowitz aged 57, Joyce Fienburg aged 75, Richard Gottfried aged 65, Daniel Stein aged 71 and the Rosenthal brothers Cecil and David.

They were both in their 60’s. According to their peers, the victims were the first ones to enter the synagogue that day. The victims were also known for being very involved in the synagogue the past couple years.

Bowers had successfully killed 11

Source: CNN James ”Whitey” Bulger circa 1959

When the incident began, a neighbor, Jim Waite, heard a loud commotion. He told reporters he thought it was a car accident. When he stepped outside, he saw people running away from the synagogue and screaming. In that short period of time, he said he heard a total of nine shots.

It became evident he was going to shoot anyone and everyone who got in the way of his mission. As told by the policeman, he came up to Bowers and was immediately shot.

For this event, Bowers is being charged with “11 counts of using a firearm to commit murder and multiple counts of two hate crimes: obstruction of the exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death and obstruction of the exercise of religious beliefs resulting in bodily injury to a public safety officer,” said by authorities citing a sealed criminal complaint.

Bowers is potentially looking at the death penalty as his punishment. As a result of the shooting, many people and assemblies are coming out with statements rocking America’s base:freedom.

For example, the Orthodox Union’s executive vice president said, “This senseless act of anti-semitic violence was not only an egregious attack on the Jewish community, but an attack on the very foundations of civil society and our collective democratic values.”

The Rabbinical Society put out a statement saying, “an act of hate against one community was an act of hate against all.”

After these statements were published, there was an increase in American citizens, not just the Jewish community, beginning to show support and remorse by leaving stuffed animals, balloons and cards at the scene of the incident.

The Tree of Life Synagogue shooting was said to be the turn of the century for racism and anti-Semitism.