One Killed, Three Wounded in CA Synagogue Shooting

POWAY, CA— One person was killed and three injured in a shooting at the Chabad of Poway on Saturday on the last day of Passover.

A suspect was taken into custody for questioning, sheriff’s officials said. His name was not released.

The four victims were reportedly taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, Calif. Their conditions were unknown.

Witnesses said Rabbi Yisorel Goldstein is among the injured, reportedly shot in the hand. He apparently continued with his sermon after being wounded, telling people to stay strong.

“The rabbi and two other people were injured,” said synagogue member Minoo Anvari, whose husband was inside when the shooting broke out. “One guy was shooting at everybody and cursing.”

“One message from all of us in our congregation is that we are standing together, we are getting stronger,” Anvari said. “Never again. You can’t break us. We are strong.”

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“Why? The question is Why? People are praying.”

Sheriff’s deputies first warned about a man with a gun in the area of the Jewish synagogue about noon local time.

“Please stay clear of the area and allow deputies to safely do their job. Thank you for your patience and cooperation,” the sheriff’s tweet said.

Authorities have taped off the area around Chabad and a command post has been set up at Chaparral Elementary School just north of the congregation.

Poway High School has been set up as a family assistance center for anyone seeking information about loved ones.

It was unclear where in the synagogue the shooting occurred.

Jewish prayers are held at 10 a.m. each Saturday, then a children’s program at 11 a.m., according to the synagogue’s website. A sit-down Kiddush and Farbrengen — traditional Jewish gatherings — were to follow.

Several neighbors reported hearing the gunshots, and some were evacuated from nearby homes to the school temporarily as a precaution.

San Diego police were keeping watch on other local synagogues as a precaution. “No known threats,” Chief David Nisleit said on Twitter, “however in an abundance of caution, we will be providing extra patrol and places of worship.

No further information was immediately available.

The shooting came on the last day of Passover, one of the most sacred holidays in the Jewish faith. The eight-day festival commemorates the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt and is typically observed with a number of rituals, including Seder meals, the removal of leavened products from the home, and the sharing of the exodus story.

It also came six months to the day after a gunman killed 11 people and wounded seven others during Saturday morning Shabbat services at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA.

Founded in 1986 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.”

It grew quickly, attracting families to a congregation modeled on the bustling Jewish enclaves that existed in New York City and Eastern Europe, and expanded its campus in the mid-1990s.

In 2015, in an effort to “start fresh again with new and young energy,” the Chabad brought in Rabbi Mendel and Shterna Goldstein from Brooklyn, and they’ve introduced a variety of programs, including a lecture series featuring Holocaust survivors.

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.

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