Poway synagogue suspect's family decries the 'terrifying mystery' of their son's radicalization
The family of the suspect in the San Diego synagogue shooting is giving a brief statement to express its "sadness" and "great shame" for Saturday's attack.
One person was killed and three more were injured after a shooter opened fire in Poway, California on Saturday. On Monday, the family of the suspect issued a statement to say they were "shocked and deeply saddened" by the "terrible attack," adding that their "sadness pales in comparison to the grief and anguish our son has caused for so many innocent people."
In the statement, the family cites how their son was "raised in a family, a faith, and a community that all rejected hate." Yet they cited a so-called "open letter" in which the suspect said the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter inspired his attack, with the family saying "our son's actions were informed by people we do not know, and ideas we do not hold." The family went on to call his reported online radicalization a "terrifying mystery to us," but said it was "confident that law enforcement will uncover many details of the path that he took to this evil and despicable act."
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Police arrested the 19-year-old suspect on Saturday, saying they were investigating the shooting as a possible hate crime. The family said they were cooperating with investigators, but would not give any more public statements.
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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
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