Frankel issues statement after Pittsburgh synagogue shooter is sentenced to death

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 2 – State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, released the following statement on the Tree of Life synagogue shooter being sentenced to death today:

“I’m grateful that the trial is over, so our community can move forward in recovery. I respect the wisdom of a jury who has found this act of hate and violence abhorrent and beyond the bounds of rehabilitation.

“This verdict doesn’t restore the lives of the people lost to hate. We will forever mourn them, and the loss is sewn into the fabric of our community, just as the building on the corner of Shady and Wilkins avenues attests to both the tragedy – and hopefully – the path forward in healing and education.

“My small part in this is to continue to fight against hate, against hate crimes, and try to compel the full force of our government against this viciousness, this antisemitism, and these attacks against targeted communities.”

Today’s sentence comes after a jury found the perpetrator guilty of all 63 counts against him and deemed the death penalty to be an appropriate punishment.

Frankel is the co-chair of the PA Jewish Legislative Caucus and has introduced several anti-hate bills in the state House.