Jewish doctors and nurses at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh put their personal feelings aside to help save the life of the man who allegedly claimed he wanted to “kill all the Jews” as he opened fire at a synagogue and murdered 11 worshipers.
Robert Bowers, 46, was shot multiple times himself and taken to AGH. In addition to killing eight men and three women, he wounded six other people, including four police officers, before surrendering Saturday.
“He was taken to my hospital and he’s shouting, ‘I want to kill all the Jews’,” Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, president of Allegheny General Hospital and a member of the Tree of Life Synagogue, told ABC. “The first three people who took care of him were Jewish.”
Another nurse, whose father is a rabbi, “came in from a mass casualty drill and took care of this gentleman.”
Cohen was one of the first people on the scene. He lives in the neighborhood and heard gunfire from his house.
“I was standing there…and you could start hearing very quickly what was going on,” he said.
Just like the first responders who rushed into danger, Cohen credits his doctors, nurses and staff for stepping up.
“We are here to take care of sick people. We’re not here to judge you. We’re not here to ask ‘Do you have insurance or do you not have insurance?’ We’re here to take care of people who need our help,” he said.
Cohen says he and Bowers had a brief conversation at the hospital.
“When I stopped in, I asked him how he was doing. Was he in pain? And he said, ‘No. He was fine,’” Cohen said.
Cohen says Bowers then asked him who he was.
“I said I’m Dr. Cohen, president of the hospital. Then I turned around and left,” he said. “The FBI agent who was guarding him said, ‘I don’t know if I could have done that.’ And I said, ‘If you were in my shoes, I’m sure you could.’”
Bowers was discharged from the hospital Monday morning and arrived at the federal courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh around noon.
He faces 11 counts of criminal homicide, six counts of aggravated assault and 13 counts of ethnic intimidation in addition to federal counts that include weapons offenses and hate crime charges. Federal prosecutors are expected to seek the death penalty against him.
Some of the comments that are saying that the doctors shouldn’t have saved him.. They are obligated by the U.S law to save a pacient. Not doing so would make them lose their jobs or even worst.. Why should more jewish families suffer from this terrible man (even if they would be “paying back and not treating him..”) let him rot in prison or get death penalty.. And suffer during the whole trial process
I’m really curious what the right thing is here? Do Jews have a responsibility to save a Nazi? If it would be 1943 and you would see a Nazi bleeding to death would you try and save him? Why is what they did laudable?? Doesn’t the Torah say if you are kind when you should be cruel, you will be cruel when you should be kind? Like really…we try so hard to impress…people are saying it’s a Kiddush Hashem…not sure this is the Torah way.
To#18 They shouldn’t have treated him even if they would be held criminally responsible. There were Jews who helped the Nazis kill other Jews to save thier own life does that make it right? Don’t save the life of someone who just murdered your family. Doesn’t make sense oath or not if your a doctor & someone killed your brother would you treat him?
Why do Jews have to treat him, when there are plenty of non-Jews to do so? We’re evidently deemed good enough by these evil murderers when it comes to receiving our expert medical care.
I agree. We are Jews and it is a big Kiddush Hashem even though in the end, iy”h, he will get killed, it shows that we are a strong nation and when Moshiach comes, everyone will see that. And by the way, people say he is a neo-nazi, yimach shemam.
Moshiach now!
He would show the proper way of dealing with this
we are a “light among the nations”. We respond to hate by adding in good deeds and kindness and rise above, this is how a Jew behaves.
I would have flat out refused to treat him. which is why I am not a doctor or nurse. believe me you wouldn’t want me near him.
Treating him???
Exactly like they do in Israel!
The very humane and just world,really couldn’t care less, how and if you treat them.
They have one objective in mind
TO KILL A JEW,rachmana litzlan.
So you want to show WHAT, to WHO???
What do you mean? He was shot with a excuse my language-a -GUN- by a perhaps white NRA trump supporting police officer! He doesn’t deserve that !
Let’s free him!
So you saved the life of a guy who just killed 11 of your family members I’m sorry there’s nothing good about that. I’m not impressed. I know they took an oath but there’s other doctors you don’t have to rush to save this guys life. He killed 11 of your family members
BS”D he would be held criminally responsible if he did not treat him, as much as our emotions say the opposite
Let the Jews treat him to make sure he is fit enough to stand trial and be sent down for the rest of his life!
Israeli Drs treat Arab murderers all the time. how do you think they feel? And it’s on an ongoing bases.
Such people need to be eradicated how can we forgive someone who didn’t kill you he killed other fellow innocent people who are we to forgive !!! He’s amalek we need to pity him !!??!?! He needs to be eradicated together with all others like him
Your obviously a murderer. You said you wanted to kill all the Jews, walked into a synagogue, opened fire and killed 11 worshippers, but that’s okay we aparantly like treating psycopaths. Really!!! How does this make any sense?
How lucky we are to be part of a nation who responds with Strength of Character rather than brute force. We say Boruch Dayan Ha’emes – He will make the true judgment and it is not up to us to decide who lives or dies. These medical professionals where able to put their understanding above their natural desire to react, to take revenge. What an incredible Kiddush Hashem.
You mistakenly thought you “don’t have these horrible things happening” in Pitts, USA. Hashem is shoeing you different. There have been terror attacks in FL, Vegas, and dozens of States I. The past few years. It’s time to come HOME.
Would you help save a Nazi’s life? They should have refused to help him. Why are we always trying to show how nice & good we are somtimes you shouldn’t be so nice for example when a guy just came from killing 11 of our brothers & sisiters & wants to kill all Jews who gives you the right to save his life. If they are coming to kill you wake up earlier & kill them
He has no right to say one day he will forgive him. only God could do that. Also it is insensitive to family of the victims
No Jew should have treated him… and gave him care
He deserved to be killed eleven times over if not more why are you helping someone just to show what??? And then to give him to the court to be executed Just let him be and take care of ppl that didn’t put themselves into this danger by killing eleven others and harming so many this is crazy and don’t think it’s right or proper for what other ppl to see how you help him why are you helping anyone forget who they are and forget who they hurt Human kills eleven ppl and harms six others Why are you… Read more »
Hashems Dept
sorry but no
It’s a big deal regardless of where you are. in Pittsburgh we don’t have these types of horrible things that happen. in Israel, unfortunately, those things are more common and a lot of people there are Jewish. here, it’s more of ‘what are the odds’ that someone Jewish is treating such an animal.
and just because it’s mentioned here and not in Israel doesn’t make it any less of a big deal. it’s amazing how the Jewish doctors can set aside their personal feelings (to some extent) and still be able to treat him.
In Israel jewish doctors and nurses treat Arab murdering terrorists in hospitals.
I think it takes real integrity to treat someone who tried killing as many other Jews as they could…if I were in the position, I would sooner lose my medical license than treat such a disgusting “human…”
So.. what are we supposed to do- give them an award? Not sure what the point of this article is. But I DO appreciate the doctor wearing a magen dovid in his face!
😓