Transcript for Former Tree of Life Synagogue rabbi speaks out
Earlier I spoke with rabbi chuck diamond. He’s now part of a different congregation. He’s very familiar with the community and knows a lot of people inside and spoke to people who were there when the attack happened. Here’s what he had to say moments ago. I understand you used to be a rabbi at this synagogue, now at another synagogue. You’re very familiar with the building, with the congregation. And the people who attend here. How did you first hear the news about what happened? About 10:00 yesterday morning I got a phone call from someone who has been with me through all my stops. He told me did you hear about the shooting at tree of life? Four people were dead. I don’t know how he heard. Police officers were shot. I started getting after that texts and calls from people to see if I was okay and did I hear what was going on. I understand you spoke to people who were inside the building. What did they describe in terms of how this attack played out? What I heard was — I heard from different people and everybody has their own point of view — that the gunman came in through the door where people enter. The door is not locked on the sabbath. It’s locked during the rest of the week. People buzz themselves in. On shabbat people come and go. There are three congregations that share the space. One is downstairs. One is upstairs in the chapel. I think the other one was in a classroom perhaps across from the chapel. He came in. He appears to have gone downstairs first. A few people were killed down there. A couple people in the classroom ran down to see what was going on. One was shot and is recovering in the hospital and the other I believe was killed. Rabbi diamond told me and others shared the same thoughts, this is a place of so many joyous memories. And occasions over the years. I spoke to a high school girl last night who said she has all these fond memories of the tree of life synagogue. Now it will be difficult to kind of have these two thoughts where you have wonderful memories and now the tragedy. That looms over the entire community. Dan and Eva back to you. Difficult too weak a word. Whit, thank you for your reporting. We’ll be going back to whit
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
