Poway synagogue shooting
The Poway synagogue shooting occurred on April 27, 2019, at Chabad of Poway synagogue in Poway, California, United States, a city approximately 20 miles (32 km) north of San Diego, on the last day of the Jewish Passover holiday, which fell on a Shabbat. Armed with an AR-15 style rifle, the gunman, John Earnest, fatally shot one woman and injured three other persons, including the synagogue's rabbi. After fleeing the scene, Earnest phoned 9-1-1 and reported the shooting. He was apprehended in his car approximately two miles (3.2 km) from the synagogue by a San Diego police officer. A month before the shooting, Earnest had attempted to burn down a mosque in Escondido.
| Poway synagogue shooting | |
|---|---|
Earnest approaching the synagogue. | |
Chabad of Poway Chabad of Poway (San Diego County, California) Chabad of Poway Chabad of Poway (California) | |
| Location | Chabad of Poway, Poway, California, US |
| Coordinates | 33.0191°N 117.0531°W |
| Date | April 27, 2019 11:23 a.m. (PDT) |
| Target | Jews |
Attack type | Mass shooting, hate crime |
| Weapon | Smith & Wesson M&P15 rifle |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Injured | 3 |
| Perpetrator | John Timothy Earnest |
| Motive |
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| Convictions | State
Federal
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In September 2021, Earnest was sentenced by a state court in San Diego County to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 121 years to life and another 16 years as part of a plea agreement. In December he was sentenced in federal court to life in prison with no chance of parole, plus 30 years, with the federal and state life sentences running consecutively instead of concurrently.