A former UNC wide receiver is among the Pittsburgh Steelers expressing grief after 11 people were killed in a shooting at a Pittsburgh-area synagogue on Saturday.

The Steelers paid tribute to the victims of the shooting over the weekend, observing a moment of silence before their game. Fans showed up to the game with the Steelers’ logo with a Star of David as tribute.

One of the Steelers players to speak out following the game was wide receiver Ryan Switzer, who wore a sweatshirt that read “Love Thy Neighbor.”

“This sweatshirt is a reminder that, no matter what someone’s going through, no matter someone’s religious backgrounds, no matter if they’re fighting addiction, or whatever the reason is, their sexual orientation, that we all deserve equal treatment,” Switzer told reporters, “That we all deserve love. And ultimately, we all deserve to be protected.”

Switzer, who is in his second year after being drafted out of UNC, told reporters after the game that he ordered the sweatshirt last week and it arrived one day before the shooting.

“It came in the day before the shooting. I was trying to pick a right time when it first came in to wear it and I thought there was no more important time to put this on and express my beliefs, in my opinion, than today.”

46-year old Robert Bowers faces 11 counts of criminal homicide, six counts of aggravated assault and 13 counts of ethnic intimidation in addition to federal counts that include weapons offenses. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Featured image by Smith Cameron Photography

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