Thousands of people have taken to the streets across the US to take part in a spontaneous vigil in commemoration of the victims of the Pittsburgh shooting that took place earlier Saturday.
People in Pittsburgh, carrying candles, jammed a street intersection in Squirrel Hill amid a light rain to express their grief for the victims through prayers and singing in a multi-religious gathering organized by Dor Hadash and Allderdice High School students. The organizers said in an interview to Fox News that they "could not wait for tomorrow or another day" and needed to gather at that moment.
A second vigil in Pittsburgh is scheduled for Sunday at Sewickley United Methodist Church, WPXI reports.
"We'll be dealing with this for months and years," said state representative Dan Frankel, speaking before the attendees. "It leaves an indelible mark."
Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf attended the vigil, suspending his campaign bus trip after the news of the attack.
Some attendees blamed the shooting on the current political climate in the US and called for a more active vote, sparking a "Vote! Vote!" chant amid the crowd. President Donald Trump condemned the attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue as "an assault on humanity," and calling on Americans to "unite to conquer hate."
Across the US, hundreds more people gathered outside the White House in Washington DC. A third vigil has been organized in Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square.
Another one took place in New York.
US President Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in "solemn respect" for the shooting victims.
The shooting suspect, Robert Bowers, is believed to have made offensive anti-Semitic posts on social media before barging into a baby-naming ceremony at a Pittsburgh synagogue on Saturday and opening fire. He is currently in custody at a local hospital.
Eleven people were killed and six injured in the shooting considered to be one of the deadliest attacks on Jews in US history.