The California State University, San Marcos student opened fire inside of the synagogue while worshippers were praying, killing one and injuring three.
Congregants gathered at the synagogue on Saturday to worship on the last day of Passover.
A California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM) student was arrested on Saturday after opening fire inside of a synagogue in Poway, California.
John Earnest, 19, has been accused of killing one person and injuring three more as they were worshipping on the last day of Passover at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, reports VOA News.
Earnest fled the synagogue but called 911 shortly after to report the shooting and his whereabouts, surrendering to police minutes later.
About an hour before the shooting, Earnest posted anti-Jewish remarks and praised the recent attacks on Muslims in New Zealand last month and Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue shooting last October.
According to San Diego County Sheriff William Gore, hate crime charges are being considered against Earnest. He has no criminal record and no prior contact with law enforcement.
“Any time somebody goes into a house to worship and shoots the congregants, in my book, that’s a hate crime,” Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said.
Investigators do not believe Earnest has any known connections with white supremacist groups and acted alone.
He did, however, claim to have “scorched a mosque in Escondido,” and investigators are looking into possible ties between Earnest and a fire at the Dar-ul-Arqam Mosque in Escondido, California, Gore said.
The victims of the attack include a 60-year-old woman, Lori Kayne, who was killed, along with Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 8-year-old Noya Dahan, and 31-year-old Almog Peretz, who were all injured.
“I was with my back to the shooter,” Peretz recalled. “I heard a shot or two and then turned around to face him and that’s when he fired at me. I ran quickly, picking up a small girl in my hands. He hit me once in the leg and I kept running.”
Sheriff Gore said Ernest arrived at the synagogue shortly before 11:30 a.m. and opened fire with an AR-type assault weapon that may have malfunctioned after the first several rounds.
Chief of the U.S. Homeland Security agency Kevin McAleenan said his agency “will take every appropriate action to assist the investigation and ensure that those affected by this tragedy receive the closure and justice they deserve.”
CSUSM confirmed Earnest was an honor student and that the school was “dismayed and disheartened.”
The university, as well as Earnest’s high school, Mt. Carmel, both posted statements about how they are working with investigators and anti-hate groups following the incident.
“The words and actions of this individual are in no way representative of the beliefs held by our school community nor by his father, a long-time teacher at MCHS,” Mt. Carmel High School’s statement said.
Earnest was booked into the San Diego jail and charged with first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder and will appear in court on May 1.
