Pittsburgh man faces ethnic intimidation charges in connection with Squirrel Hill synagogue vandalism
Police arrested a Pittsburgh man on charges of ethnic intimidation and institutional vandalism after, they say, he inscribed a possible hate symbol onto the doors of the Shaare Torah Synagogue in Squirrel Hill.
William Murray, 33, was arrested after police were contacted Monday by synagogue staff. The staff sent photos of a person that police say is Murray inscribing a possible “triangular Ku Klux Klan symbol” onto the synagogue doors.
Police said in a criminal complaint that the symbol seen in photographs was similar to an Anti-Defamation League description of an old KKK symbol, composed of multiple triangles within a larger triangle, and actually representing three Ks facing inwards. Initially, the symbol was identified as a Star of David symbol.
According to the criminal complaint, Murray claimed the symbol “represented wealth and wisdom” when stopped by police after the incident last Sunday.
Murray is charged with ethnic intimidation, institutional vandalism and criminal mischief. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 14.
TribLive reached out to Shaare Torah Synagogue but had not heard back as of Friday evening.
Julia Maruca is a TribLive reporter covering health and the Greensburg and Hempfield areas. She joined the Trib in 2022 after working at the Butler Eagle covering southwestern Butler County. She can be reached at jmaruca@triblive.com.
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