The son of a couple killed in a Pittsburgh synagogue attack that killed 11 worshippers is suing the National Rifle Association, arguing the group's inflammatory rhetoric led to the violence.

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Marc Simon, the son of Sylvan and Bernice Simon, filed the wrongful death lawsuit Thursday in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court against the NRA, the gun maker Colt's Manufacturing Co., and accused shooter, Robert Bowers, news outlets reported. Colt manufactured the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle allegedly used by Bowers.

A fourth defendant is the unknown business that sold Bowers the gun.

Bowers is charged with killing 11 congregants at the Tree of Life synagogue in the deadliest attack on Jews in US history. Police said the former truck driver expressed hatred of Jews during and after the October 2018 rampage."Bowers was not born fearing and hating Jews," the suit claims. "The gun lobby taught him to do that."

Bowers has pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

The plaintiff argues gun lobbyists like the NRA radicalized people with "mendacious white supremacist conspiracy theories." The lawsuit also says Colt could have prevented the AR-15 from "bump firing," or using a modification that allows the rifle to fire more rapidly.

An NRA spokesperson declined comment on the lawsuit. The group filed for bankruptcy last week, and the claims against them in Simon's lawsuit will be stayed as a result of the group's reorganizing.

Colt did not respond to request for comment. Besides a wrongful death claim, the complaint accuses Colt of product liability and says the gun is more akin to a military-style weapon than a civilian product.

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The 22-year-old man was attacked near Gerry Street and Broadway in Williamsburg around 1:00 p.m. by two women, ABC News reported.

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According to the report, the assailants, ages 24 and 34, yelled anti-Semitic epithets at the man. When he called 911, they attacked him with his own phone, threatened to kill him, and punched him in the throat.

The man was taken to the hospital for treatment. His two attackers were arrested shortly after the incident.

A police source said that the 34-year-old has been charged with aggravated harassment, assault, and criminal mischief. The other suspect is still in custody but has not been charged at this time.

The incident remains under investigation, the source said.

NYPD has enhanced patrol presence in Jewish communities. Starting tonight, additional officers from the Strategic Response Group, the same highly trained unit that helped keep New Yorkers safe in Times Square last night, will be on the streets.

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) January 1, 2020

New York City has seen an alarming rise in anti-Semitic incidents. Mayor Bill de Blasio said the NYPD will increase patrols in Jewish communities and people must be able to walk their own neighborhoods free from fear.

Wednesday's incident is the 12^th attack in the past two weeks. It follows a stabbing attack in Monsey, NY on Saturday night.

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"Israel strongly condemns the recent displays of anti-Semitism, including the vicious attack at the home of a rabbi ... during Hanukkah," Netanyahu said.

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"We send our best wishes for recovery to the wounded. We will cooperate however possible with the local authorities in order to assist in defeating this phenomenon. We offer our assistance to every country," the prime minister added.

According to CBS New York, the assailant reportedly used a machete to attack people attending a Hanukkah lighting celebration at hassidic Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg's home, which also functions as the Netzach Yisroel synagogue.

Two people were said to be in critical condition, with one of them stabbed at least six times, and three others were moderately wounded.

According to local media reports, the assailant was apprehended in Harlem early Sunday morning after a short manhunt.

Video from the scene pic.twitter.com/anPwVW1Jhv

— Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) December 29, 2019

The Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council for the Hudson Valley region tweeted, "At 9:50 [EST] this eve, a call came in about a mass stabbing at 47 Forshay Road in Monsey (Rockland County; 30 miles North of NYC). It's the house of a Hasidic Rabbi. 5 patients with stab wounds, all Hasidic, were transported to local hospitals," it said on Twitter.

The council said the assailant was an African American male, his face partially masked with a scarf.

We are closely monitoring the reports of multiple people stabbed at a synagogue in Monsey, NY (Rockland County) pic.twitter.com/cHoQnbneKO

— NYPDCounterterrorism (@NYPDCT) December 29, 2019

Clips circulated on social media show ambulances and security personnel rushing to the site.

Investigators cordoned off the large home on Forshay Road with yellow crime scene tape as of 3 a.m. Onlookers gathered nearby and watched as officers collected evidence and worked to determine what occurred hours earlier. A number of police and emergency vehicles also remained at the scene.

The incident follows a string of anti-Semitic assaults in New York, including on Friday morning, when three young Jewish women were attacked in Brooklyn.

"I am horrified by the stabbing of multiple people at a synagogue in Rockland County tonight," Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo tweeted. "We have zero-tolerance for anti-Semitism in NY and we will hold the attacker accountable to the fullest extent of the law. NY stands with the Jewish community."

I am horrified by the stabbing of multiple people at a synagogue in Rockland County tonight.

We have zero tolerance for anti-Semitism in NY and we will hold the attacker accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

NY stands with the Jewish community. pic.twitter.com/JILUoFXJc9

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) December 29, 2019

Cuomo, who called the stabbings a "cowardly act" has directed the state police hate crimes task force to investigate the attacks.

"Let me be clear: anti-Semitism and bigotry of any kind are repugnant to our values of inclusion and diversity and we have absolutely zero tolerance for such acts of hate," he said in a statement. "In New York we will always stand up and say with one voice to anyone who wishes to divide and spread fear: you do not represent New York and your actions will not go unpunished."

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin also condemned the attack on Twitter saying a collective effort is needed to stop future incidents.

"Shocked and outraged by the terrible attack in #NY and praying for the recovery of those injured. #Antisemitism is not just a #Jewish problem, and certainly not just the State of #Israel's problem," he tweeted. "We must work together to confront this rising evil, which is a real global threat."

Officials with the Simon Wiesenthal Center called on US President Donald Trump to instruct the FBI to create a special task force in wake of unending attacks against Jews and their religious institutions.

Rabbis Marvin Hier and Abraham Cooper, Dean and Founder and Associate Dean of the leading Jewish Human Rights NGO are also urging Black leaders to speak out against the spate of recent hate crimes in New York and New Jersey carried out by African Americans.

"Enough is enough! Jews should not have to fear for their lives in America to go to their houses of worship. The FBI must step up and take the lead in all recent violent hate crimes targeting religious Jews."

New York Attorney General, Letitia James, said she was "deeply disturbed" by the situation in Monsey. "There is zero tolerance for acts of hate of any kind and we will continue to monitor this horrific situation."

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that police presence would increase in Brooklyn neighborhoods with large Jewish populations.

Vice Chairman of the World Zionist Organization and Commissioner for Combating Anti-Semitism at the National Institutions in Israel Yaakov Hagoel issued a statement saying, "I am appalled to see Jews brutally harmed in the synagogue as a place of prayer, just because they are Jews. I demand from the US government to protect Jews, pass strict laws to combat anti-Semitism, enforce existing anti-xenophobia legislation and, most importantly, implement anti-hate programs in all schools. We must show zero tolerance for any anti-Semitic incident."

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Seals was killed by two attackers early on Tuesday afternoon at the Bay View Cemetery in Jersey City. The suspects, a man and a woman, then drove approximately one mile to the JC Kosher Supermarket in the city's Greenville section, home to a significant population of religious Jews.

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The two stormed the store and fired round after round of bullets as they engaged police during an hours-long standoff. When police entered the market officers discovered the bodies of Leah Mindel Ferencz, 33, who owned the store with her husband, Moshe Dovid Ferencz; Moshe Deutsch, 24, of the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY; and Miguel Douglas, 49, who worked at the store. Ferencz's husband had left the store just moments before the attack to attend afternoon prayer services at a synagogue next door.

"There is an extremely massive outpouring of grief and outrage at the attack that occurred in Jersey City," said Jewish community leader Chaskel Bennett, a co-founder of the civic and political group Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition (FJCC), who spearheaded the campaign with fellow Flatbush community leaders Leon Goldenberg and Moshe Wulliger. "Obviously, when an event of this magnitude happens and we see the victims that are identifiably Orthodox Jews, automatically it hits home a little bit harder."

"Orthodox Jews care deeply about the people who stand on the front lines protecting us," added Bennett.

In situations like this, he continued, "We as a community need to take a moment and recognize the sacrifices that law enforcement professionals are making all across the country to secure our shuls, our synagogues, our JCCs, our yeshivas, our day schools. … These are human beings with families; and in this case, Detective Seals has a wife and five children."

The response to the fundraising campaign was swift. More than 1,400 donations were raised; the campaign is now closed. Gifts ranged from just $2 to $200, with many less than $50. A number of those who contributed also left messages on the campaign web page.

"RIP, thank you for all you have done. May God bless your family and all the men in blue."

"We can never repay you for all the lives you saved, RIP. Strength to your wife and kids and loved ones."

Donating to the Seals family, said Bennett, shows that "Orthodox Jews care deeply about the people who stand on the front lines protecting us," adding that this "small act" allows the "community to take our anguish and transform it into tangible action."‎

The response also shows that "the anguish is real," he added.

"The fear Jews now feel didn't begin with this terrible incident. The anti-Semitic attacks against our community have been escalating for a while now, and we have been sounding the alarm," explained Bennett.

However, "the response by people to donate more than $48,000 in 18 hours speaks to the overwhelming desire for people to be part of something positive in the midst of such pain. From the depths of our sorrow, the very best of our people shines through," he said.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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"This is heartbreaking. White supremacy kills," Tlaib posted to her personal Twitter account on Thursday, two days after a Jersey City shootout claimed the lives of a police officer and three members of the local Jewish community.

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After being informed that the shooters, identified as David Anderson, 47, and his girlfriend, 50-year-old Francine Graham, were, in fact, African Americans, Tlaib removed the message from her social media feed.

Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American US Representative ever elected, later posted a tweet to her official congressional account expressing her condolences over the incident, saying it "It was beyond heartbreaking to learn of what appears to be another anti-Semitic act of violence."

It was beyond heartbreaking to learn of what appears to be another anti-Semitic act of violence. The hate growing in our country is toxic. https://t.co/UuRANNA9ZZ

— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) December 11, 2019

But the initial tweet left some members of the American Jewish community reeling.

"It's telling, and frankly sick, that Tlaib tweeted out sympathies for the Jews that were murdered blaming it on white supremacists," journalist Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll said of Tlaib's original message.

"Didn't care enough to find out what happened. Just enough to use dead Jews for her political agenda," she added.

On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Anderson had a history of publishing anti-Semitic and anti-police posts online, citing an official with knowledge on the situation.

The Black Hebrew Israelites are an African American religious movement claiming heritage from the ancient Israelites. It has no links with mainstream Judaism and is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The latest reports confirm the attack was specifically aimed at the JC Kosher Supermarket, with authorities saying that footage from surveillance cameras helped construct their assessment.

"Based on our initial investigation [which is ongoing] we now believe the active shooters targeted the location they attacked," Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said.

This article was originally published by i24NEWS.

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Two of the victims have been named: Moshe Deutsch, 24, a Satmar Hassid, and Leah Minda Ferencz, 33, who owned the store with her husband.

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Others were injured as a result of rapid-fire shooting by two male suspects entering the store and were taken to a local hospital.

"We have been in close contact with the Jewish community in #JerseyCity to help where we can. While we work through details/investigation of today's incident I know the entire Jersey City community stands together with the Jewish Community during these challenging times," Fulop said in a Twitter message.

Video: Reuters

According to Chabad.org, the store is located next to a small synagogue and school with about 40 Jewish children, said Rabbi Shmuel Levitin, who directs Chabad Young Professionals of Hoboken and Jersey City with his wife, Esta, and frequents the market.

The store owner had left moments before the shooting began to pray the afternoon Mincha service at the synagogue and was unable to return, said Rabbi Moshe Schapiro, co-director of Chabad of Hoboken and Jersey City, who has been in touch with him.

FBI New Jersey, the Hudson County SWAT Team, New Jersey's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and other law-enforcement agencies responded to the incident.

Nearby schools, including a Catholic one, were first on lockdown; however, the children – all safe – have since been dismissed.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the men and women of the Jersey City Police Department, especially with the officers shot during this standoff, and with the residents and schoolchildren currently under lockdown," said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. "I have every confidence in our law-enforcement professionals to ensure the safety of the community and resolve this situation."

"Just seeing the news out of Jersey City – please avoid Martin Luther King Drive until further notice. Thank you to the first responders who arrived on the scene," tweeted Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.).

"Closely monitoring the active shooter situation in Jersey City. For folks in the area, please continue to avoid Martin Luther King Drive for now – it's not safe. Grateful for the first responders who quickly arrived on the scene, and praying for the officers shot in the standoff," tweeted Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

At least one US politician wasted no time connecting the unfolding situation to the calls for gun control.

"Terrible news in Jersey City today as two gunmen shot and injured one police officer near Martin Luther King Drive. Gun violence is my top priority! We've already passed bills and I am pushing my gun buyback bill to get these guns off the street," tweeted Rep. Donald Payne Jr., whose district includes Jersey City.

The White House said that US President Donald Trump has been briefed about the situation.

Arthur Stark, chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman and CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, expressed solidarity "for the Jewish community and all the residents of Jersey City, where it appears members of the community were wounded by gunfire, as were members of the police force responding to gunfire from active shooters. We do not know at this point if the kosher supermarket from which they were firing was an intended target. We pray for the safety of all those involved."

The original version of this story was reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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Under the proposal, Eva Drive would become Lori Lynn Lane. It is located near where the 60-year-old congregant lived with her husband, Dr. Howard Kaye, about a mile from the synagogue.

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Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said that people associated with Chabad approached the city to propose the street-name change.

"They did all the groundwork, and our team got the obstacles out of the way," he said. "It should have unanimous and enthusiastic support."

Three people, including senior Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, were wounded on April 27 when lone gunman John Earnest shot at worshippers during Shabbat-morning services.

Earnest has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges, including 113 federal hate crime-related counts.

If convicted of the murder charge, the 20-year-old could face the death penalty, though prosecutors haven't said what sentence they would seek.

He is scheduled to be back in court on Dec. 5 for a status hearing, at which time a trial date will likely be set.

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About 10,000 people participated in the march through the German capital. Several thousand others protested Saturday in other cities including Hamburg and Marburg.

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Many Germans are in shock over Wednesday's attack in which two people were killed outside the synagogue and in a kebab shop. The attack has renewed concerns about rising far-right extremism and questions about the slow police response.

The 27-year-old, heavily armed suspect, identified as Stephan Balliet, tried but failed to enter the house of worship on Yom Kippur, Judaism's holiest day. The suspect, who livestreamed his attack online, has been charged with two counts of murder and nine of attempted murder.

On Sunday, people started their march at a symbolic landmark, Berlin's Bebelplatz square, where the Nazis burnt thousands of books by Jews, communists and other opponents, weeks after Adolf Hitler took power in 1933.

The marchers carried Israeli flags and banners with slogans like "No Nazis" or "Far-right terror threatens our society."

The rally was organized by the civil rights group Unteilbar, or "Indivisible," under the slogan "We stand united" and ended at the city's New Synagogue with its famous golden dome topped by a Star of David.

Friedhelm Schmitt, a 52-year-old neurologist, said he'd joined the protest "because I had to. It's my democratic duty. It's like going to vote."

German prosecutors have said the suspect wanted to carry out a "massacre" in the synagogue and had about 4 kilograms (9 pounds) of explosives in his car.

He unsuccessfully tried for several minutes to enter the house of worship, where more than 50 people were attending a prayer service, but the door withstood his shots. He then killed two people and severely injured a couple before he was detained by police.

Police have been criticized because they arrived at the synagogue seven minutes after they were alerted to the shooting.

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A 27-year-old German man previously unknown to police confessed to carrying out the attack in the eastern city of Halle in which two people were killed Wednesday.

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The suspected gunman, identified as Stephan Balliet, allegedly built the firearms he used with the help of online instructions, posted an anti-Semitic screed before the attack and later broadcast the shooting live on a popular gaming site.

In response to the attack and previous incidents, German officials have called for more officers to be devoted to tackling far-right extremism and a greater focus on online platforms they say are increasingly being used as a means of spreading far-right radicalism and linking up with like-minded people in a way already seen with Islamist extremism.

Thomas Haldenwang, who heads the BfV domestic intelligence agency, said the attack in Halle and similar shootings in Texas, New Zealand, and Norway showed the need for security services to get better tools to tackle online extremism. In particular, he called for authorities to be given permission to install monitoring software on suspect's devices so as to read their encrypted communication.

Holger Münch, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, said online threats and acts of violence are creating a "climate of fear" in Germany that is deterring people from volunteering for public office.

"Right-wing crimes threaten our democracy," Münch said. "The situation is serious."

The country is still reeling from the killing of Walter Lübcke, a regional politician from Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, who was shot dead at his home in June. Lübcke had vocally supported Merkel's welcoming stance toward refugees in 2015 and the suspect in his killing is a far-right extremist with a string of convictions for violent anti-migrant crimes.

Münch said his agency has identified 43 far-right extremists who are considered to constitute a serious threat, an increase of about a third since the start of the year. Overall, authorities say there are some 12,700 far-right extremists in Germany "prepared to use violence."

He called for a bundle of measures including greater scrutiny of online hate postings, extending the period of time that security services can store data on possible extremists and for those who create and distribute lists of political enemies to be prosecuted.

He also proposed that an existing law requiring platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to swiftly remove illegal hate speech should be expanded to force them to report such content to police.

Münch suggested his office could become a central point of contact dealing with online hate crimes in the same way it already does for child pornography.

Further proposals include creating a special unit to investigate possible extremists in the police and other government departments and a crackdown on known far-right groups.

Security officials are particularly concerned that the 'new Right' – groups that include factions within the Alternative for Germany party which entered the federal parliament two years ago – are providing the intellectual fodder for extremists.

Authorities are still investigating whether the suspect in the Halle shooting had ties to any known groups or individuals. At least five people watched the attack live as it happened, suggesting they may have known it was going to take place.

The suspect failed to force his way into the synagogue as scores of people inside were observing Judaism's holiest day, Yom Kippur. He then shot and killed a 40-year-old German woman in the street outside and a 20-year-old man at a nearby kebab shop before fleeing. He was later arrested in Zeitz, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Halle.

The suspect has admitted during questioning that he carried out the shooting and had anti-Semitic and right-wing extremist motives.

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Lange was shot by extremist anti-Semite Stephan Balliet, who livestreamed the attack via a helmet camera as she attempted to stop him from shooting up the synagogue.

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Balliet went on to shoot Kevin, whom local media described as a soccer fan, who was at a nearby kebab stand during the terrorist attack.

German media described Lange as a "warm, funny" person and a devoted music lover. She liked to share pictures of artists she admired on social media.

Kevin, the second victim, was a painter. He worked at a building site near the synagogue.

Kevin's father began to fear the worst when reports about the shooting began to circulate.

"All we know is that you're at the construction site nearby and you lost your phone. Kevin, we love you more than anything," the father wrote on his Facebook page prior to receiving the news of his son's tragic death.

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