SAN DIEGO _ Minutes before John T. Earnest allegedly opened fire on a California synagogue, someone discovered and told the FBI of his apparent anti-Semitic manifesto, but it was too late to take action, federal officials said.
The tip came in about five minutes before the shooting, and included a link to the post, but didn't contain information about the author or the location that was threatened, an FBI spokesperson said. Bureau employees immediately took action to identify who wrote the post, but the shooting happened before they finished.
Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, was killed, and three others _ an 8-year-old girl, her uncle, and the synagogue's founding rabbi _ were injured in the Saturday attack at Chabad of Poway.
In the lengthy, "open letter," Earnest, the suspected author, details his "disgust" for Jews and his admiration for the perpetrators of other mass shootings, including the gunman who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue six months ago to the day.
The 19-year-old wrote it took him four weeks to plan the shooting.
San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said Sunday that investigators believe Earnest acted alone and without outside support.
"There is no indication at this point in the investigation that Earnest was part of an organized group," Gore said in a statement.
Earnest's family released a statement Monday saying they were mystified by their son's apparently extremist beliefs, adding his actions "were informed by people we do not know, and ideas we do not hold," according to a statement sent to the San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday.
The family's lawyer, Earll M. Pott, said the family does not anticipate making any more public statements until their son's criminal case is resolved.
"This is a very tight-knit family. A large, loving family," Pott said Monday. "They are absolutely in a state of shock."
The Public Defender's Office will be assigned to represent Earnest, who was jailed on suspicion of murder and three counts of attempted murder. Someone from the office met briefly with him Monday morning.
The full statement from the family reads:
"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the terrible attack on the Chabad of Poway synagogue. But our sadness pales in comparison to the grief and anguish our son has caused for so many innocent people. He has killed and injured the faithful who were gathered in a sacred place on a sacred day. To our great shame, he is now part of the history of evil that has been perpetrated on Jewish people for centuries.
"Our son's actions were informed by people we do not know, and ideas we do not hold. Like our other five children, he was raised in a family, a faith, and a community that all rejected hate and taught that love must be the motive for everything we do. How our son was attracted to such darkness is a terrifying mystery to us, though we are confident that law enforcement will uncover many details of the path that he took to this evil and despicable act. To that end, our family is cooperating with investigators. We ask only that the media and the public respect our privacy and allow the criminal justice system to work.
"Our heavy hearts will forever go out to the victims and survivors. Our thanks go to the first responders who prevented even greater loss of life and the well-wishers who have supported us. And we pray for peace."
