Joining with residents throughout the nation and the world, the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders strongly condemned the terrorist attack that left 11 innocent people dead at a Pittsburgh synagogue.
“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 said the heinous shooting is being felt even harder in Ocean County because Lakewood Township is home to 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.
Freeholder Virginia E. Haines, who was born in Lakewood, said hatred will never win.
“This attack in Pittsburgh was an attack against all people of faith,” Haines said. “When you read the articles about these victims – they could have been our neighbors and our friends. Our thoughts and our prayers are with them and their families.”
Little said he followed a Presidential Order and directed that flags at all county buildings and facilities be lowered to half-staff Monday morning.
Additionally, the Freeholders will observe a moment of silence at their October 31 work meeting as well as at their November 7 public meeting.
Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari said the shooting in a relatively quiet residential neighborhood shows that violence and terrorism can strike anywhere.
“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.”