David Bruce Rosenthal, a 54-year-old Jewish man, was a beloved and integral part of the Tree of Life congregation in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. He and his older brother, 59-year-old Cecil Rosenthal, were known affectionately as 'the boys' and were virtually inseparable. The brothers, who both had a genetic condition called Fragile X syndrome, lived together in a home managed by the ACHIEVA organization and were well-known figures in their community.
David was a diligent worker, employed by Goodwill Industries, and was known for his love of police and fire scanners and his gentle spirit. He and Cecil were fixtures at the synagogue, rarely, if ever, missing a Saturday service, where they would often greet congregants as they arrived.
On the morning of Saturday, October 27, 2018, David and Cecil were at the Tree of Life Synagogue for Shabbat services, a place they considered a second home. Their routine and the peace of the congregation were shattered when a gunman, Robert Bowers, entered the building armed with an AR-15 rifle and three handguns. Motivated by a virulent antisemitic and white supremacist ideology, Bowers began a murderous rampage, targeting the worshippers gathered inside. In the chaos, as people scrambled for safety, David and another congregant encountered the gunman on a set of stairs while trying to escape and were fatally shot. David was one of eleven people murdered that day in what became the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in United States history.
The shooter, Robert Gregory Bowers, was arrested at the scene after a firefight with police. He had posted antisemitic messages on social media just before the attack, railing against a Jewish refugee aid organization. Bowers faced a total of 63 federal charges, including hate crimes resulting in death and obstruction of the free exercise of religious beliefs. His defense team did not contest that he was the shooter but argued against his specific intent to obstruct religious exercise.
On June 16, 2023, after a trial that included harrowing testimony from survivors, a federal jury found Robert Bowers guilty on all 63 counts. Following the guilty verdict, the trial entered a sentencing phase. The jury heard further evidence and testimony from the victims' families, including David's sister. On August 2, 2023, the jury unanimously recommended that Bowers be sentenced to death for his crimes. He was formally sentenced to death by a judge the next day.
