Woman Killed In Poway Synagogue Shooting Had Stepped In Front Of Shooter To Shield Rabbi

POWAY (CBSLA) — The woman killed in Saturday's attack on a synagogue in Poway had stepped in front of the suspected shooter in order to shield the rabbi.

Witnesses say Lori Kaye was killed after stepping in between the rabbi and the gunman. Those who knew the 60-year-old Kaye described her as a very generous person.

"She was one of our major donors and she was just very active with helping us and also very active in helping when she can and volunteering all the time," said Tanya Werby, a synagogue employee.

Three others were wounded in the shooting. They were identified as Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein; Noya Dahan, 8; and Almog Peretz, 34.

Dahan's family had moved to the area from Gaza to escape the violence in Israel, and Peretz was apparently trying to carry children outside of the synagogue when he was shot in the leg.

The suspected shooter, identified as John T. Earnest, 19, surrendered to police after opening fire inside the Chabad of Poway, north of San Diego.

An off-duty border patrol who was on the security team confronted Earnest during a gunfight but the suspect got away.

Police say Earnest surrendered to officers a short time later.

In an apparent manifesto posted online, the suspected shooter described his hatred for Jews and appeared to have drawn inspiration for the attack following the mosque shooting in New Zealand.

In that manifesto, he wrote:

"To my family and friends, I can already hear your voices, 'How could you throw your life away? You had everything … loving family … great friends … a church … You were doing well in nursing school.' "

He then continued to write about his hatred for Jews:

"No. I will not sell my soul by sitting idly by as evil grows. I'd rather die in glory or spend the rest of my life in prison than waste away knowing that I did nothing to stop this evil."

The LAPD says it will continue conducting high visibility patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship.