A dead and three injured during a shooting in the California synagogue | national

POWAY, Calif. (AP) – A 19-year-old armed man opened fire in a synagogue near San Diego while worshipers were celebrating the last day of a major Jewish holiday, killing a woman and wounding the rabbi and two more Saturday, announced the authorities.

President Donald Trump and other elected officials denounced what they called an anti-Semitic attack exactly six months after 11 people were killed in a Pittsburgh synagogue during the deadliest attack on Jews in history the United States.

A border patrol officer on leave who was working as a security guard at the Chabad of Poway fired on the shooter while he was running away, missing him, but hitting his vehicle on the run, said the sheriff. San Diego County, William Gore.

The gunman, identified as John Earnest, used an AR-type assault gun, Gore said. According to some sources, the gun may have malfunctioned after many shots inside the synagogue, said the sheriff.

Shortly after his escape, Earnest called 911 to report the shot, said San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit. When an officer reached the man on a causeway, "the suspect parked, jumped out of his car with his hands in the air and was immediately placed in custody "said Nisleit.

A girl and two men were injured while the Jewish congregation had gathered for Passover, a week of commemoration of the deliverance of ancient Hebrews from slavery to Egypt. All three were in a stable state, the authorities said.

Earnest has no criminal record, but investigators are considering a complaint that he made in an online manifest about the fire of a mosque in Escondido , last month, said Gore. There was damage but no injuries.

Gore said the authorities were reviewing copies of his social media publications and investigating the attack as a possible hate crime.

Someone identified as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish cope about an hour before the attack, which contained elements not to be believed, such as an allegation that a YouTube star would have helped to plan and finance filming. According to the post, he was at the school of nursing and cited suspects accused of perpetrating deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at the Tree of Life synagogue of Pittsburgh on October 27th.

After the arrest of Earnest, no known threats were identified, but authorities have, as a precaution, reinforced patrols at places of worship, police said.

Minoo Anvari, a member of the synagogue, told the media that her husband was inside during the shooting. She said that he had called to tell him that the shooter was shouting and swearing.

She called the shooting "unbelievable" in a welded and welded community.

"We are strong, you can not break," said Anvari.

Donny Phonea, who lives in front of the synagogue, extinguished his electric drill and heard someone shout "Police!" Then he heard three or four shots.

The bank's 38-year-old auditor looked over the fence of his yard, facing the synagogue, and saw people hiding behind an electric box in the parking lot of a nearby church. At that moment, he knew that something was wrong at all. He entered and closed the doors of his garage.

"I'm a little surprised," said Phonea, who moved to Poway two weeks ago. "I moved here because safety was a factor, Poway is very safe."

Trump presented his sympathies Saturday, saying the shootings "looked like a hate crime" and the "hard to believe" caller. The mayor of Poway, who tweeted that he had received a call from the president proposing help, also denounced what he called a hate-motivated crime.

"I want you to know that this is not Poway," said Mayor Steve Vaus. "We are still walking around with each other and we are going through this tragedy with our arms around each other."

Democratic governor Gavin Newsom said he was joining the community in mourning.

"No one should be afraid to go to his place of worship and no one should be targeted for practicing the principles of his faith," he said.