Two of the 11 victims of Saturday’s synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh are the brothers of a member of a Chicago-area temple.
Cecil and David Rosenthal were killed when a 46-year-old man armed with a rifle opened fire in a the Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday morning, the Jewish Sabbath, killing 11 people and injuring four police officers before being taken into custody, authorities said. The Rosenthal brothers were developmentally disabled.
Cecil and David were the brothers of Diane Rosenthal Hirt, who is a member of Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard.
Portraits of the Fallen
Here are photos of those killed in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.
Click to read about each person.
Source: NBC News; Photos: Facebook, Families, CBC
“Here at Etz Chaim our hearts are breaking as we send our deepest sympathies to our congregant and friend, Diane Rosenthal Hirt, her husband Michael, and their two daughters as we mourn with them on the murder of her two brothers, David and Cecil Rosenthal at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh this past Shabbat,” the temple said in a Facebook post.
David Defilice was a friend of Cecil’s.
Mass Shootings in the U.S. Since 1982
Single attacks in a public place in which four or more victims were killed. The data does not include shootings stemming from more conventional crimes such as robberies and gang violence. More on the data source.
Source: Mother Jones, NBC reporting
“He was somebody who was part of the community,” he said. “Cecil would always tell me that they let him carry the Torah.”
Defilice, a college senior, met Cecil Rosenthal through a program called Bust Buddies.
"I went to services and Cecil he had his Talis on and he carried the Torah around the room and basically you would carry the Torah around and everybody would go and kiss it and that was his job,” Defilice said. “He was strong, he was a big strong guy he was able to support the weight of it.”
A funeral is planned for the two brothers in Pittsburgh, where Diane has gone to be with family, and will reportedly take place Tuesday.
Severeal vigils were held throughout the Chicago area as well as the nation Monday.
