California Synagogue Shooter Pleads Guilty to All 113 Federal Charges
A young man who carried out a hate-motivated shooting at the Chabad of Poway that killed one woman and injured three other people was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison, plus 30 years
The young man charged with carrying out a hate-motivated shooting at the Chabad of Poway that killed one woman and injured three others pleaded guilty Friday to all 113 federal charges filed against him.
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U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia opted to run the shooter's federal life sentence consecutively with the state sentence
Battaglia referenced government sentencing documents indicating that a consecutive sentence would be "merely symbolic," but said, "Hate is something that has to be addressed and must be held up as an example to all that it will not be tolerated."
The shooter was also sentenced earlier this year to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the state's case against him following his pleas to murder, attempted murder and arson counts, sparing him a potential death sentence. He later pleaded guilty in the federal case to 113 federal counts related to hate crimes, civil rights and weapons violations
A young man who carried out a hate-motivated shooting at the Chabad of Poway that killed one woman and injured three other people was sentenced by a San Diego federal judge Tuesday to life in prison, plus 30 years
John Earnest, 22, pleaded guilty in parallel state and federal prosecutions for the April 27, 2019, shooting, as well as for setting fire to the Dar-ul-Arqam Mosque in Escondido about a month prior to the shooting.
In the federal case, prosecutors and Earnest are jointly seeking a term of life in prison, plus 30 years following his pleas to 113 federal charges.
Prosecutors said 54 people were inside the synagogue when the shooter opened fire on the last day of Passover.
Lori Gilbert Kaye, 60, was shot in the synagogue's lobby and died of her injuries. The congregation's rabbi, Yisroel Goldstein, lost a finger, while two others -- Almog Peretz and his then-8-year-old niece, Noya Dahan -- were also injured.
The shooter was chased out of the synagogue by several congregants, then escaped in his car. He drove a short distance away and called 911, confessing that he had "just shot up a synagogue."
In an online open letter posted shortly before the shooting, the former Cal State San Marcos studnet espoused flagrant anti-Semitic sentiments, a need to protect the "European race," and wrote, "I can only kill so many Jews" and "I only wish I killed more."
In the arson incident, seven missionaries were asleep inside the Dar- ul-Arqam Mosque at the time, but were able to extinguish the flames and escape injury. Graffiti left outside the mosque paid tribute to a white supremacist who shot and killed more than 50 people in New Zealand earlier that month.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said that in a manifesto he posted online shortly before the shooting, he wrote, "I can only kill so many Jews" and "I only wish I killed more."
The shooting triggered a series of lawsuits from the victims of the shooting against Earnest, the Chabad itself, the gun store that sold Earnest the weapon and gun manufacturers.
In court papers, his defense attorneys request that he be housed in California, so that the former Rancho Penasquitos resident can be more easily visited by his family, which his attorneys said "can ultimately help him continue the path of reconciliation and redemption."
For the first time we're seeing exactly how the Poway Synagogue shooting unfolded, and hearing the moments the accused shooter turned himself in. NBC 7's Danny Freeman walks us through it all.
The attorneys wrote that he is remorseful and has "condemned his own actions in this case."
The defense sentencing memorandum states that the shooter was "on course to lead a productive, meaningful, and law-abiding life" prior to "his rapid online radicalization."
The document states, "The online world that John Earnest looked to for these self-identifying answers ultimately consumed him, leading to this tragic end."
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Images taken outside Chabad of Poway on Monday, April 29, the afternoon of the funeral service for shooting victim Lori Gilbert-Kaye.
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Hannah Kaye (L) and her father Howard Kaye, M.D. talk about their mother/wife Lori Gilbert-Kaye at her funeral service on Monday, April, 29, 2019.
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Images taken outside Chabad of Poway on Monday, April 29, the afternoon of the funeral service for shooting victim Lori Gilbert-Kaye.
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Images taken outside Chabad of Poway on Monday, April 29, the afternoon of the funeral service for shooting victim Lori Gilbert-Kaye.
Crystal Whitman
Images taken outside Chabad of Poway on Monday, April 29, the afternoon of the funeral service for shooting victim Lori Gilbert-Kaye.
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People attend a prayer and candlelight vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church on April 27, 2019, in Poway, California.
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People attend a prayer and candlelight vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church on April 27, 2019, in Poway, California.
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A couple holds candles during a vigil held for victims of the Chabad of Poway synagogue shooting, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, California.
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People attend a prayer and candlelight vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church on April 27, 2019, in Poway, California. A gunman opened fire at the Chabad of Poway synagogue on the last day of Passover, leaving one person dead and three others injured. The suspect is in custody.
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Noya Dahan, 8, rides on the shoulders of her father, Israel Dahan, at a candlelight vigil held for victims of the Chabad of Poway synagogue shooting, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, California. Dahan was one of the people injured when a 19-year-old gunman opened fire at the synagogue, killing one person and injuring three others.
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People embrace outside the Chabad of Poway synagogue on April 27, 2019, in Poway, California.
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Leslie Gollub, left, and Gretchen Gordon hug at a vigil held to support the victims of Saturday's shooting at Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, California.
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People gather and react outside of the Chabad of Poway synagogue on April 27, 2019, in Poway, California. A 19-year-old man opened fire inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday, killing a woman and injuring three other people. A rabbi who was injured in the shooting said the gunman's gun jammed, preventing more deaths or injuries.
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A 19-year-old San Diego man with a rifle entered Chabad of Poway on Rancho Bernardo Road, west of Interstate 15 at 11:23 a.m. and opened fire on the people inside, law enforcement officials said.
Richard Wilson
More than half a dozen police cars were seen along Rancho Bernardo Road outside Phil’s BBQ -- roughly two miles away from the temple --- where the suspect was apprehended. The 19-year-old pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was taken into custody, SDPD Chief David Nisleit said. "As the officer was placing this 19-year-old male into custody, he clearly saw a rifle sitting on the front passenger seat of the suspect vehicle," he said.
Richard Wilson
As the suspect fled the scene, an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent who was in the synagogue at the time of the shooting opened fire on the suspect, missing the man but striking his vehicle, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said.
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One woman died from injuries suffered in the shooting. A girl and two adult men were injured and rushed to Palomar Medical Center Poway, officials confirmed at 2:30 p.m.
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A memorial of flowers and signs began growing outside the synagogue. One of the signs said, “Our thoughts & prayers are with you. May the community know no more sorrow.”
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President Donald Trump commented on the shooting, saying, "We're doing some very heavy research we'll see what happens, what comes up, at this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all of those affected and we'll get to the bottom of it."
Crystal Whitman
One of the signs at a memorial in honor of the victims of the synagogue shooting said, “We will build this world from LOVE.”
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This is Lori Kane and Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, two victims of the shooting. 60-year-old Kane died from injuries suffered in the shooting and 57-year-old Rabbi Goldstein suffered injuries to index fingers.
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This is the last picture taken of Lori Kane (Third from left) at her best-friends daughter's graduation taken on Friday, Apr. 26.
A city-wide prayer vigil was held Sunday night at Valle Verde Community Park at 7 p.m. where Rabbi Goldstein and mayor, Steve Vaus from Poway were in attendance
This is eight-year-old Noya Dahan, one of the youngest victims in the shooting, she sustained shrapnel injuries and was released out of the hospital the same day the shooting happened.
This is 34-year-old Almog Peretz, one of the victims, he sustained shrapnel and gunshot wounds in his legs and face. He has been released from the hospital.
