Vice President Mike Pence condemned the shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday, calling it saying it was "not just criminal, it was evil."

At least 8 people were killed and six injured — including four police officers — in Saturday morning's shooting at The Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Heavily-attended weekly Shabbat services and a circumcision ceremony for a baby boy were reportedly happening at the time.

Pence had earlier offered prayers for those involved via Twitter, before speaking on the shooting from Las Vegas where he was at a campaign event for Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev. Heller is in a tight race against Democratic challenger Rep. Jacky Rosen.

[Opinion: I'm a Squirrel Hill Jew, and you cannot break me]


"As Las Vegas knows all too well, what happened today was not just criminal, it was evil. An attack on Americans and an assault on our freedom of religion. There is no place in America for violence or anti-Semitism and this evil must end," he said.

Pence asked all Americans to pray for the victims, citing Psalm 34. "The lord is close to the broken heart. Let that be our prayer for them. Let's also pray for the strength and wisdom to do everything in our power to bring these senseless acts of violence to an end, so help us God," he said.

Local news reports identified the suspect as Robert Bowers, 46. The suspect taken into custody by police had been described as a heavy-set, bearded white male, whom police said had been taken to the hospital.

Federal authorities are expected to release more information on the shooting later this afternoon.

Members of the Trump family weighed in as well. Ivanka Trump, who is Jewish, called the shooting "the acts of a depraved bigot and anti-semite."

First lady Melania Trump tweeted of her sadness over the news. "The violence needs to stop," she wrote.


President Trump is expected to make a formal statement on the shooting Saturday afternoon from Indianapolis, during a previously scheduled speech. Trump is appearing at the national convention of FFA, a agriculture-focused youth organization formerly known as Future Farmers of America.