OCEAN COUNTY – Following the tragic shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue that fatally injured 11 people, Ocean County officials are speaking out. The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders are strongly condemning the terrorist attack.
“Today we stand hand-in-hand and arm-in-arm with the families and loved ones of these innocent souls,” said Freeholder Director Gerry P. Little. “There are no words that can express our sorrow for their loss.”
Little noted that the tragic event hit close to home for Ocean County residents, as Ocean County is home to Lakewood Township, which boasts one of the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish communities.
“Today we mourn alongside our brothers and sisters in Lakewood and in all of our 33 towns,” Little said.
“This attack in Pittsburgh was an attack against all people of faith,” said Freeholder Virginia E. Haines, who was born in Lakewood. Haines emphasized that these victims could have been any of us or our friends and family.
In honor of the lives lost, the flags at all county buildings and facilities were lowered to half-staff on Monday morning. The Freeholders will also observe a moment of silence at their October 31 work meeting as well as at their November 7 public meeting.
“We are a county and a nation in mourning,” Vicari said. “But today we emerge stronger than we were yesterday. Stronger and more determined that evil will not infect our towns and our neighborhoods.”
