Pittsburgh shooting: Muslim activists raise funds for victims

Pittsburgh, Oct 30: When a humanitarian crisis is here, external divisions shouldn't matter. And neither it did. According to a report in Mashable India, a team of Muslim activists was busy raising money through a crowdfunding campaign to help the victims of the horrendous shooting incident at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday, October 27.

The activists raised more than $50,000 a day after the tragedy in which 11 people were killed, including a 97-year-old, the Mashable India report added.

Organiser of the crowdfunding campaign Tarek El-Messidi said through the drive of raising funds for the victims' family, it was being tried to send a united message from the Jewish and Muslim communities.

"We pray that this restores a sense of security and peace to the Jewish-American community who has undoubtedly been shaken by this event," he was quoted as saying by the Mashable report.

The initial goal of the fundraising campaign was $25,000 but it was achieved in just six hours. The goal was then raised to $50,000 and then to $75,000 as the second goal too was met.

The funds will be used for covering the victims' funeral costs and also the treatment for the injured. Six people were injured in the shooting, including four policemen. The organisers were working with the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh for distributing the funds via the synagogue.