Leaders in Edmonton’s Jewish community are reassuring people that there’s no increased security risk following the horrific attack in Pittsburgh Saturday that left 11 people dead and six others wounded.

“We have been in contact with our national partners and with local and national law enforcement,” said a Facebook post from Jewish Federation of Edmonton president Steven Shafir on Saturday.

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“We want to stress that there is no increased security risk at this time to the Jewish community and we have been assured of this.”

Shafir said his organization regularly meets with the Edmonton Police Service and officials are aware of extra security the community requires.

“ As a result of (Saturday’s) tragedy, the Edmonton Police Service’s reaction has been immediate, unambiguous and proactive,” Shafir wrote. “They have increased police monitoring and their patrols around Jewish institutions.”

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A gunman opened fire during a baby naming ceremony at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighbourhood. One of the people killed was a woman from Toronto. The six injured includes four police officers, according to officials.

The synagogue is located about 10 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh in a neighbourhood that is the hub of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community.

David Vickar, president of Beth Israel Synagogue in Edmonton, said about 125 people attended a service Saturday to pray for the victims in Pittsburgh.

“We’re all very disturbed by these events,” he said in an interview Sunday. “Unfortunately anti-Semitism is a fact of life.”

He said the synagogue tries to mitigate security risks with 24-hour surveillance and an on-site security team. The protocols aren’t changing after the Pittsburgh attack, he added.

“We have taken security seriously for quite some time,” he said. “We’re constantly monitoring.”

Vickar said the Edmonton Jewish community is planning more prayer services to honour the victims and their families.

Pittsburgh city officials identified the shooter, now in custody, as Robert Bowers, who is in his 40s. They say the shooting is being investigated as a hate crime.