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Hate crimes charged in Pittsburgh synagogue massacre case

Anat Halevy Hochberg of Brooklyn, NY., visits Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, at a makeshift memorial outside the Tree of Life Synagogue to the 11 people killed Oct 27, 2018 while worshipping in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh Nov. 1, 2018.

A man accused of opening fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October, killing 11 people and wounding seven others, now faces additional counts that include allegations of hate crimes.

A federal grand jury Tuesday added 19 charges to the 44 counts previously levied against Robert Bowers of Baldwin. Bowers is being held at the Butler County Prison.

Thirteen of the new counts against the 46-year-old Bowers are hate crime violations and the others accuse him of obstructing religious beliefs and discharging a firearm during crimes of violence.

Messages left for Bowers' lawyers weren't immediately returned.

Bowers had previously pleaded not guilty to a number of counts, including using a firearm to commit murder and obstruction of religious exercise resulting in death.

Prosecutors say they've added a wounded officer to the allegations, making a total of five. Two congregants were also injured.

This undated Pennsylvania Department of Transportation photo shows Robert Bowers, the suspect in the deadly shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2018.

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