Man Pleads Not Guilty in Deadly Poway Synagogue Attack
San Diego resident John T. Earnest, 20, has pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder, both with hate-crime and gun allegations, and arson of a house of worship. He also faces more than 110 federal charges
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A judge decided that the Poway synagogue shooter will stand trial. NBC 7’s Melissa Adan has the latest information.
A man charged with a deadly Passover shooting at a Southern California synagogue pleaded not guilty to murder.
John T. Earnest entered pleas in San Diego to charges of hate crime-related murder, attempted murder and other charges included in an updated complaint. A hate crime-related murder conviction would make Earnest eligible for the death penalty, though prosecutors have not said what punishment they plan to seek.
Prosecutors said the 20-year-old nursing student, armed with a semi-automatic rifle, opened fire during a Passover service at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in San Diego County on April 27.
The attack killed 60-year-old Lori Gilbert-Kaye and wounded three others, including an 8-year-old girl and the rabbi, who lost a finger.
A witness in the synagogue shooting hopes his experience will shine a light on the long-lasting mental pain of surviving a tragedy. NBC 7's Danny Freeman has more.
During a preliminary hearing in September, prosecutors played a 12-minute recording of the gunman calmly telling a 911 dispatcher that he had just "shot up" a synagogue to save white people from Jews, describing terms for a peaceful surrender and scolding law enforcement for taking too much time to find him in his parked car.
The recording was heard publicly for the first time during a dramatic day in court that included surveillance video of the shooting and a congregant describing how he singlehandedly confronted the gunman and chased him away.
"I'm defending our nation against the Jewish people, who are trying to destroy all white people," the 911 caller, who identified himself as John Earnest, told the dispatcher in an even, almost casual tone.
NBC 7
An image of evidence presented in the Sept. 19, 2019 pretrial hearing for John T. Earnest, the man accused of opening fire inside a Poway synagogue on the last day of Passover.
Richard Wilson
More than half a dozen police cars were seen along Rancho Bernardo Road outside Phil’s BBQ -- roughly two miles away from the temple --- where the suspect was apprehended. The 19-year-old pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was taken into custody, SDPD Chief David Nisleit said. "As the officer was placing this 19-year-old male into custody, he clearly saw a rifle sitting on the front passenger seat of the suspect vehicle," he said.
U.S. Army
A man approaches Chabad of Poway with a rifle raised in this image from surveillance video presented as evidence in the trial of John T. Earnest.
NBC 7
Prosecutors submitted surveillance video from the synagogue depicting the shooting.
Melissa Adan/NBC 7
Images taken outside Chabad of Poway on Monday, April 29, the afternoon of the funeral service for shooting victim Lori Gilbert-Kaye.
Denis Poroy/AP
People gather and react outside of the Chabad of Poway synagogue on April 27, 2019, in Poway, California.
NBC Nightly News
An image of evidence presented in the Sept. 19, 2019 pretrial hearing for John T. Earnest, the man accused of opening fire inside a Poway synagogue on the last day of Passover. This is an image of the defendant's car.
News 4 New York
An image of evidence presented in the Sept. 19, 2019 pretrial hearing for John T. Earnest. This is the view of the passenger seat of the vehicle driven by Earnest.
NBC Nightly News
An image of evidence presented in the Sept. 19, 2019 pretrial hearing for John T. Earnest. This is the rifle and ammunition deputies say they found inside Earnest's vehicle.
NBC Nightly News
An image of a receipt listing a purchase by John T. Earnest on April 13, 2019.
NBC 7
An image of a receipt listing a purchase by John T. Earnest on April 13, 2019.
KARE-TV
An image of a hunting license acquired by John T. Earnest presented by prosecutors in court on Sept. 19, 2019.
NBC 7
An image of a hunting license acquired by John T. Earnest presented by prosecutors in court on Sept. 19, 2019.
NBC 7
An image of a hunting license acquired by John T. Earnest presented by prosecutors in court on Sept. 19, 2019.
Crystal Whitman
Images taken outside Chabad of Poway on Monday, April 29, the afternoon of the funeral service for shooting victim Lori Gilbert-Kaye.
Crystal Whitman
One of the signs at a memorial in honor of the victims of the synagogue shooting said, “We will build this world from LOVE.”
The day before the synagogue shooting, Earnest bought a Smith & Wesson AR-15 rifle from a San Diego gun shop, according to federal charges. Officials have said he bought the gun legally.
Weeks before the attack, Earnest tried to burn down a mosque in nearby Escondido, where seven people on a spiritual retreat were sleeping, prosecutors said. The group awoke to flames and managed to extinguish the fire.
The suspect allegedly also scrawled on the outside of the mosque the name of the man accused of opening fire at two mosques in New Zealand earlier this year in a mass attack that left 51 people dead.
See a timeline of events from the Escondido mosque fire in March 2019 to the FBI's investigation and more, here.
