Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial: New evidence suggests attack was carefully planned
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Testimony picked up Wednesday morning for the seventh day at the federal courthouse in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial
Before the testimony began on Tuesday, one of the original jurors was dismissed.
Former FBI special agent testifies
On the seventh day of the synagogue gunman trial, a former FBI special agent who headed crime scene reconstruction and analysis described processing the massive crime scene.
Testifying on the stand, former FBI agent Andrea Dammann described arriving at the synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018 after the carnage had stopped and suspect Robert Bowers had been taken into custody.
She then recounted walking through the crime scene and began to inventory the terrible toll of human life and documenting each piece of physical evidence, including the suspect's AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and three Glock handguns.
In addition to those guns, she testified police recovered a shotgun, live shotgun shells and close to a dozen loaded rifle magazines found in the suspect's Hyundai Sonata parked outside the synagogue. Agents also inventoried shooting glasses and ear protection.
Dammann was an original member of the Pittsburgh Evidence Recovery Team -- stationed in the Pittsburgh FBI Field Office -- which responded to the crash of US Air Flight 427 in 1994. Dammann led evidence collection at the crash site of United Flight on Sept. 11, 2001.
At the synagogue, she coordinated more than 60 FBI personnel both from the Pittsburgh office and special evidence and ballistics experts who arrived from FBI headquarters in Quantico, Virginia.
The government will attempt to show the attack was premeditated and carefully planned. It's expected the prosecution will be citing this additional weaponry as evidence later in the trial the gunman had planned other attacks had he escaped the synagogue without capture.
First responders take the stand
SWAT Officer Justin LaPaglia saw the body of a man, later identified as Melvin Wax, shot several times in the doorway of a boiler room. It was then he heard a woman's voice, that of Carol Black, who was hiding in a nearby closet with Barry Werber, another New Light congregant.
"She said they were inside. I told them to come out with their hands out," LaPaglia said.
Last week, Black testified she and Werber had stayed still and quiet as she saw the shadow of the gunman go back and forth and was greatly relieved when he moved on and later heard police radios and saw flashlights. In court, they showed a video of their dramatic rescue as police hustled them from the synagogue.
"They were pale and looked like they were in shock," LaPaglia testified. "I was surprised they could follow my directions."
When now retired Allegheny County Police Lt. Michael O'Keefe entered the synagogue, he saw deceased people and gun casings, smelled gun powder and heard gunfire upstairs. There the defendant surrendered to police, O'Keefe quoting him as saying he was wounded and had run out of ammunition for his AR-15 then stated the reason for the attack.
"He said the invaders were coming. That the Jews were killing our children, and he had to take action," O'Keefe said.
SWAT team paramedic Shawn Eigenbrode attended to Bowers and a bullet wound to his elbow. He and others stabilized the defendant, and since police were not clear if there were any other attackers, removed him from the building down a fire escape, where he bumped his elbow against the wall.
"I said, 'sorry, dude. I'm trying to stabilize you so we don't fall,'" he said.
Recapping the trial
During the first week of the trial at the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh, opening statements were delivered by prosecutors and defense attorneys, followed by two days of testimony from survivors and testimony from a police officer who was wounded while responding to the synagogue.
There is little question about the defendant's guilt. Rather, the case is about whether he will get the death penalty. In her opening statements, defense attorney Judy Clarke readily admitted that the defendant was responsible for the carnage, calling his actions immeasurable and inexcusable.
Most of the victim's families have said they support the death penalty in this case.
Support is available for those in need during the trial
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health effects from the trial, go to 1027healingpartnership.org to find help resources. As always, call 911 to report threats.
Phone: 412-697-3534
Email: info@1027HealingPartnership.org
Website: 1027healingpartnership.org
More resources can be found here.