Updated 3:45 p.m. with information from the Sheriff's press conference and comments from Poway Mayor Steve Vaus
By Miriam Raftery
April 27, 2019 (Poway, CA)--An older woman has died and three others were injured in a shooting today at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sheriff Gore confirmed in a news conference this afternoon. The attack occurred during a Passover celebration.
ECM news partner 10 News reports that Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, suffered a hand injury. Two men and a 10-year-old girl were also injured with shrapnel wounds; all are in stable condition and expected to recover.
A white male, 19, from San Diego is in custody after he called authorities to surrender. He used an AR-type assault weapon, according to Sheriff Gore. He was arrested in nearby Rancho San Diego. No motive has yet been disclosed.
NBC 7 reports that multiple sources confirm the suspect is John T. Earnest, who published a manifesto at 10 a.m. on Reddit threatening to live-stream the shooting in Poway. In a rant filled with racist remarks and Bible quotes, he also claimed credit for arson at an Escondido mosque a month ago. The killer stated that he was inspired by the recent deadly attack on a New Zeland mosque and by shootings at a Pittsburgh synagogue last year.
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