Hostage Situation At Congregation Beth Israel In Colleyville, Texas

COLLEYVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – A hostage concern astatine a synagogue successful Colleyville connected Saturday, January 15 ended aft astir 11 hours erstwhile instrumentality enforcement safely rescued each 4 hostages.

Authorities said a antheral seemingly took hostages Saturday during services astatine a Texas synagogue wherever the fishy could beryllium heard ranting angrily successful a livestream earlier the provender chopped out.

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Four hostages were held wrong the synagogue, including the Congregation’s rabbi, Charlie Cytron-Walker

One of the hostages was released unharmed that evening, Colleyville Police said. He did not necessitate aesculapian attraction and volition beryllium reunited with his household arsenic soon arsenic possible.

A Facebook unrecorded provender from Congregation Beth Israel was connected erstwhile the incidental started to unfold. Shabbat services were being streamed astatine the clip according to the Congregation’s website.

Authorities are inactive trying to discern a precise motive for the attack. The hostage-taker was heard demanding the merchandise of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist suspected of having ties to al-Qaeda, who was convicted of trying to termination U.S. subject officers portion successful custody successful Afghanistan, 1 of the instrumentality enforcement officials said. He besides said helium wanted to beryllium capable to talk with her, according to the officials. Siddiqui is being held astatine FMC Carswell successful Fort Worth, Texas.

According to the NYPD, Rabbi Cytron-Walker seemingly called a New York City rabbi portion helium was held hostage. The 2 rabbis seemingly discussed Siddiqui’s case, they said.

The instrumentality enforcement officials said investigators person not positively identified the antheral and cautioned that the accusation was based connected a preliminary probe arsenic the concern was inactive rapidly developing. The suspected hostage-taker reportedly told instrumentality enforcement agents that helium had supposedly placed respective bombs successful adjacent undisclosed areas.

Multiple radical heard the hostage-taker notation to Siddiqui arsenic his “sister” connected the livestream, but Faizan Syed, the enforcement manager of Council connected American-Islamic Relations successful DFW, told The Associated Press that Siddiqui’s brother, Mohammad Siddiqui, was not involved. Syed said CAIR’s enactment and prayers were with the radical being held successful the synagogue.

FBI Dallas spokeswoman Katie Chaumont said that situation negotiators had been communicating with idiosyncratic wrong the synagogue. But she could not accidental whether the idiosyncratic was equipped and she declined to picture what the idiosyncratic had said to authorities, citing operational sensitivity.

While the livestream was inactive active, the man, who utilized profanities, repeatedly mentioned his sister, Islam and that helium thought helium was going to die. The fishy besides repeatedly said helium was not a criminal.

Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist with precocious degrees from Brandeis University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was sentenced successful 2010 to 86 years successful situation connected charges that she assaulted and changeable astatine U.S. Army officers aft being detained successful Afghanistan 2 years earlier. The punishment sparked outrage successful Pakistan among governmental leaders and her supporters, who viewed her arsenic victimized by the American transgression justness system.

In the years since, Pakistan officials person expressed involvement publically successful immoderate benignant of woody oregon swap that could effect successful her merchandise from U.S. custody, and her lawsuit has continued to gully attraction from supporters. In 2018, for instance, an Ohio antheral who prosecutors accidental planned to alert to Texas and onslaught the situation wherever Siddiqui is being held successful an effort to escaped her was sentenced to 22 years successful prison.

At astir 9:15 p.m., CBS 11’s JD Miles reported that “a large detonation was conscionable heard coming from the congregation Beth Israel synagogue wherever a standoff has been going connected for 10 hours with a hostage taker followed by what appeared to beryllium gunshots.”

#Breaking A large detonation was conscionable heard coming from the congregation Beth Israel synagogue wherever a standoff has been going connected for 10 hours with a hostage taker followed by what appeared to beryllium gunshots

— J.D. Miles (@jdmiles11) January 16, 2022

At 9:36 p.m., Governor Greg Abbott tweeted that “all hostages are retired live and safe.” The fishy was changeable during a rescue ngo executed by SWAT and has died. It is unclear who fired the bullet.

Prayers answered.

All hostages are retired live and safe.

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 16, 2022

Sources confirmed to CBS 11’s Doug Dunbar that the elite FBI hostage rescue team, who flew into DFW earlier that evening, executed the detonation and entry.

#Breaking #ColleyvilleSynagogue sources corroborate to maine it was the elite FBI hostage rescue squad which flew into DFW this evening, who executed the detonation and temple entry. All hostages are ok, and person spoken to officers. Fate of the hostage taker not yet clear. @CBSDFW

— Doug Dunbar (@cbs11doug) January 16, 2022

Rabbi Was One Of The Hostages

The congregation began successful 1998 arsenic Chavurah assemblage members started to relocate to Northeast Tarrant County from different areas of the county. CBI was officially established successful 1999 with 25 members. By 2005, they had grown capable to prosecute a full-time rabbi.

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Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who is believed to beryllium successful the building, was hired for the presumption successful 2006. Charlie is primitively from Lansing, Michigan wherever helium graduated from University of Michigan. After graduating helium worked astatine Focus: HOPE, a civilian and quality rights enactment successful Detroit, Michigan and past became the adjunct manager of the Amherst Survival Center, which housed a nutrient pantry, escaped store and crockery room successful North Amherst, Massachusetts.

He has 2 daughters, and is joined to his wife. He is simply a past president of the South West Association of Reform Rabbis and serves connected the steering committee of Peace Together.

Government And International Officials Respond

Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted that helium was “closely monitoring the hostage situation” and prayed for the information of the hostages and rescuers.

I americium intimately monitoring the hostage concern taking spot successful Congregation Beth Israel successful Colleyville, Texas.

We commune for the information of the hostages and rescuers.

— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) January 15, 2022

Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that President Biden was alert of the concern and was receiving updates.

.@POTUS has been briefed astir the processing hostage concern successful the Dallas area. He volition proceed to person updates from his elder squad arsenic the concern develops.  Senior members of the nationalist information squad are besides successful interaction with national instrumentality enforcement leadership.

— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) January 15, 2022

Dr. Nachman Shai, Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, prayed for an “immediate and harmless end.”

Monitoring intimately from Israel the hostage concern unfolding astatine Beth Israel Congregation wherever the Jewish assemblage gathered for Shabbat services successful Colleyville, Texas. Praying for an contiguous and harmless end.

— נחמן שי- Nachman Shai (@DrNachmanShai) January 15, 2022

Senator Ted Cruz said helium and his woman Heidi are praying for the hostages and rescuers, and that helium and his unit are intimately monitoring the concern and are successful interaction with section and nationalist authorities.

Heidi and I are praying for those astatine Congregation Beth Israel successful Colleyville and for the SWAT squad and each different instrumentality enforcement connected the country responding.

My unit and I are intimately monitoring the concern and are successful adjacent interaction with section and nationalist authorities.

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 15, 2022

Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne, whose territory includes Colleyville, asked for others to articulation her “in praying for information and speedy solution for each progressive successful Colleyville today.”

Join maine successful praying for information and speedy solution for each progressive successful #Colleyville today. I’m monitoring the situation, speaking with officials, and volition update erstwhile we cognize more.https://t.co/xNqOFxOIPQ

— Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (@RepBethVanDuyne) January 15, 2022

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said helium was monitoring the concern and that Texas DPS was moving intimately with section and national teams and, successful a statement, asked Texans to commune for the information of the congregants.

The Texas Dept. of Public Safety is connected the country of the tense hostage concern successful Colleyville, Texas.

They are moving with section and national teams to execute the champion and safest outcome.

I proceed to show the concern done DPS.@TxDPS https://t.co/bAARmIifdb

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 15, 2022

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said helium is intimately monitoring the cognition and was acceptable to assistance the Colleyville Police Department.

I americium intimately monitoring the Texas SWAT cognition astatine a Dallas country synagogue today.

My bureau stands acceptable to assistance the @ColleyvillePD.

— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) January 15, 2022

In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:

“We powerfully condemn the hostage-taking astatine Congregation Beth Israel successful Colleyville, Texas. This latest antisemitic onslaught astatine a location of worship is an unacceptable enactment of evil. We basal successful solidarity with the Jewish community, and we commune that instrumentality enforcement authorities are capable to swiftly and safely escaped the hostages. No origin tin warrant oregon excuse this crime. We are successful interaction with section assemblage leaders to larn much and supply immoderate assistance that we can.”

Muslim Advocates condemned the onslaught and stood successful solidarity with the Rabbi and synagogue.

We are appalled by the hostage concern astatine Congregation Beth Israel and condemn this onslaught connected a location of worship. We basal successful solidarity with the rabbi and congregation. We commune for a peaceful extremity to this travesty and for the perpetrator to beryllium brought to justice.

— Muslim Advocates (@MuslimAdvocates) January 15, 2022

Texas Congressman Craig Goldman asked others to articulation him successful supplication for the Rabbi and his synagogue.

Please articulation maine successful supplication for the information of Rabbi Charlie and each the congregants astatine Congregation Beth Israel successful Colleyville.

— Craig Goldman (@GoldmanCraig) January 15, 2022

Former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke sent spot to Colleyville.

Sending spot to Colleyville arsenic different Texas assemblage is tragically targeted by a gunman.

If you’re successful the area, delight heed the warnings of section officials and debar the vicinity astir the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue.

You tin find updates successful this thread. https://t.co/oWKGBeAcGf

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) January 15, 2022

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the Dallas Police Department would deploy further patrols to Dallas synagogues arsenic a precaution.

As a precaution, @DallasPD is deploying further patrols to Dallas synagogues and different sites. Police are moving with the Jewish Federation and our local, state, and national partners to show immoderate concerns oregon threats based connected the concern successful Colleyville.

— Mayor Eric Johnson (@Johnson4Dallas) January 15, 2022

The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum said it was “horrified by the situation” and that it hoped for a “safe resolution.”

#dhhrm is horrified by the concern unfolding astatine Congregation Beth Israel successful Colleyville, Texas, wherever a gunman has taken hostages wrong the synagogue. Our thoughts are with our neighbors and friends arsenic we commune for a harmless resolution.

— Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum (@dhhrm_org) January 15, 2022

Tarrant County Judge B. Glen Whitley said helium and his woman were praying for the hostages and hoped for a peaceful resolution.

My woman and I are joining truthful galore of you successful praying for the hostages astatine Congregation Beth Israel and their families. May God usher the instrumentality enforcement astatine the country and supply a peaceful resolution.

— Tarrant County Judge B. Glen Whitley (@judge_whitley) January 16, 2022

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and Fort Worth Chief of Police Neil Noakes offered their enactment and said Fort Worth Police would beryllium taking steps to support the city’s Jewish assemblage safe.

Thank you @fwpdchiefnoakes https://t.co/2RQEFITPvG

— Mayor Mattie Parker (@MayorMattie) January 15, 2022

Los Angeles Police besides announced they would beryllium expanding patrols arsenic a precautionary measure.

We’re intimately pursuing a hostage concern that is taking spot astatine a synagogue successful Colleyville, TX. We’re moving with our national partners, expanding patrols astir synagogues successful LA arsenic a precautionary measure, and conducting assemblage outreach to guarantee the information of Angelenos. https://t.co/ASQ9hRChVH

— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) January 15, 2022

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