Pittsburgh Police officer Michael Smidga on Friday became the first witness in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial to identify defendant Robert Bowers as the gunman.
Smidga was one of the first officers to respond on October 27, 2018, when an armed man walked into the Tree of Life Synagogue and shot and killed 11 Jewish worshipers and injured six people, including Smidga and three fellow police officers.
Bowers has been charged with 63 federal counts, including 11 counts of a hate crime resulting in death. Bowers’ defense lawyers offered to enter a guilty plea in exchange for a sentence of life in prison, but prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
In his testimony, Smidga said he was already familiar with the synagogue and its complex layout; not only is the building less than a block away from the Squirrel Hill police station, but the police also do routine security checks at all local synagogues around Jewish high holidays. He said the checks are necessary because “people have a lot of hate in them.”
Smidga and his partner, Dan Mead, approached the front door of the synagogue, which he called the “fatal funnel” because it was a point of serious risk. He said the two were shot at through the glass door. Mead was shot in the hand and Smidga’s face and ear were cut by glass and shrapnel.
Smigda said he retreated to the corner of the building near an electric meter and away from the windows. Eventually, he was able to look through a first-floor window and saw a gunman with a rifle.
“I saw that man right there,” he told the jury, gesturing towards the defendant.
Smidga shot at the gunman three times through the window, but wasn’t sure if he hit him. “I just knew he was pissed,” he said. The gunman returned fire. Smigda said he moved away from the window and used “hand and arm signals” to let other officers know what was going on before heading behind a police car to receive medical attention.
Smidga said he then returned to the scene to help where he could.
“I was there to respond to a call,” he said.
