A crowdfunding campaign started by two Muslim groups has raised more than $110,000 for the victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting on Saturday which left 11 people dead.
The campaign was set up through the platform LaunchGood, a crowdfunding platform focused on the Muslim community worldwide.
The campaign for the Pittsburgh shooting victims was started by Tarek El-Messidi, who is a Muslim-American social entrepreneur and speaker, according to his LaunchGood user account.
Two Muslim-American non-profits, Celebrate Mercy and MPower Change, were behind the campaign titled "Muslims Unite For Pittsburgh Synagogue."
The fund is also in partnership with the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh, who will work directly with the Tree of Life synagogue — where the shooting took place — to distribute funds to those affected, according to the campaign's LaunchGood page.
According to the page, the funds will help cover the "immediate, short-term needs of the injured victims and grieving families — including funeral expenses and medical bills."
"No amount of money will bring back their loved ones, but we do hope to lessen their burden in some way," the campaign wrote.
As of 3 a.m. EDT, the campaign raised over $110,000, far surpassing their initial goal of $25,000.
The initial target was reached in only six hours since it began on Saturday, according to the campaign. The campaign had gone viral and hit its second goal of $50,000 in just one day.
"Through this campaign, we hope to send a united message from the Jewish and Muslim communities that there is no place for this type of hate and violence in America," the campaign organizers wrote.
"We pray that this restores a sense of security and peace to the Jewish-American community who has undoubtedly been shaken by this event."
Eleven people were killed and six others were injured when a gunman armed with an AR-15 and handguns stormed the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
When police rushed the synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, they were met with gunfire.
The suspect, Robert Bowers, was eventually taken into custody and reportedly told one police officer: "All these Jews need to die."
The shooting is believed to be the deadliest attack on Jewish people in US history, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Kelly McLaughlin contributed to this report.
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