The Brooklyn Borough President is calling on all retied and off-duty officers to carry a gun with them when they go to a house of worship. Tracie Strahan reports.
What to Know
- Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is calling on all former and off-duty police officers to bring their firearms to houses of worship
- The retired NYPDer pledged to bring his gun every time he enters a church or synagogue and it comes after the deadly shooting in Pittsburgh
- A gunman opened fire during a prayer service at the Tree of Life synagogue, killing 11 people on Saturday
The Brooklyn Borough President is calling on all retied and off-duty officers to carry a gun with them when they go to a house of worship and his words come a day after a gunman opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11 people.
Eric Adams, a retired NYPD captain, pledged to bring his gun every time he enters a church or synagogue, and we wants others to foloow his lead.
“If they are leaving those firearms home I am now saying to them ‘stop leaving your firearm home,’” Adams said. “Do as I do. Bring your firearm to church.”
Later, Democratic State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who represents part of Brooklyn, applauded Adams’ message on Twitter.
“I am registering immediately for a gun license. And I encourage other Jews to do so to protect their institutions and synagogues,” he said in the tweet. “If we are targets, we need to be prepared.”
On the other side, however, Mayor de Blasio opposed Adams’ idea.
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“Houses of worship do not have to have armed guards to be able to practice their religions,” he said.
On Saturday, a gunman, allegedly 46-year-old Robert Bowers, opened fire during a prayer service at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Eight men and three women were killed in the rampage before a tactical police team tracked him down and shot him.
The suspect expressed hatred of Jews during the rampage and later told police that "all these Jews need to die," authorities said.
Six people were injured in the attack, including four officers.
