Mass shooting in Pittsburgh synagogue

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Nearly four and a half years after a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue took the lives of 11 people, the trial for the accused gunman is slated to begin Tuesday morning.
Twelve jurors and six alternates were chosen last week to sit on the trial of the accused gunman that began Tuesday morning after about a month of questioning more than 200 potential jurors.

Accused gunman faces 63 charges
Bowers faces 63 charges, including 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death and 11 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religion resulting in death.

Prosecutors are seeking the dealth penalty for Bowers, a move that many of the families of the victims support.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges after prosecutors turned down a deal offered by attorneys for Bowers that said he would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence without parole.

How officials are combatting antisemitism
As jury selection for the trial began last month, local and federal officials have announced that they are monitoring hate threats against Jewish people that have ticked up since the trial proceedings began.

Shawn Brokos, director of community security for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, said that officials were monitoring “general chatter in support of the defendant … and his hateful vitriol” online earlier this month. She said that synagogues in the area have received security improvements and said at the time that no threats had been made.