WATCH: Rabbi Of Texas Synagogue Says He Threw Chair At Gunman And Then Escaped With Two Other Hostages After 10-hour Standoff

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COLLEYVILLE, Texas (AP) — The rabbi of a Texas synagogue said Monday that he threw a chair at the gunman and then escaped with two other hostages after a 10-hour standoff, crediting past security training for getting himself and his congregation out safely.

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Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker told “CBS Mornings” that he let the gunman in Saturday because he appeared to need shelter. He said the man was not threatening or suspicious at first. Later, he heard a gun click as he was praying.

Another man held hostage, Jeffrey R. Cohen, described the ordeal on Facebook.

“First of all, we escaped. We weren’t released or freed,” Cohen said.

Cohen said the men worked to keep the gunman engaged. They talked to the gunman, he lectured them. At one point as the situation devolved, Cohen said the gunman told them to get on their knees. Cohen recalled rearing up in his chair and slowly moving his head and mouthing “no.” As the gunman moved to sit back down, Cohen said Cytron-Walker yelled to run.

“The exit wasn’t too far away,” Cytron-Walker said. “I told them to go. I threw a chair at the gunman, and I headed for the door. And all three of us were able to get out without even a shot being fired.”

Authorities identified the hostage-taker as 44-year-old British national Malik Faisal Akram, who was killed Saturday night after the last hostages ran out of Congregation Beth Israel around 9 p.m.

The FBI on Sunday night issued a statement calling the ordeal “a terrorism-related matter, in which the Jewish community was targeted” and said the Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating. The agency noted that Akram spoke repeatedly during negotiations about a prisoner who is serving an 86-year sentence in the U.S.

Akram could be heard ranting on a Facebook livestream of the services and demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist suspected of having ties to al-Qaida who was convicted of trying to kill U.S. Army officers in Afghanistan.

The investigation stretched to England, where late Sunday police in Manchester announced that two teenagers were in custody in connection with the standoff. Greater Manchester Police tweeted that counter-terrorism officers had made the arrests but did not say whether the pair faced any charges.

Video of the standoff’s end from Dallas TV station WFAA showed people running out a door of the synagogue, and then a man holding a gun opening the same door just seconds later before he turned around and closed it. Moments later, several shots and then an explosion could be heard.

Authorities have declined to say who shot Akram, saying it was still under investigation.

President Joe Biden called the episode an act of terror. Speaking to reporters in Philadelphia on Sunday, Biden said Akram allegedly purchased a weapon on the streets.

Federal investigators believe Akram purchased the handgun used in the hostage taking in a private sale, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Akram arrived in the U.S. at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York about two weeks ago, a law enforcement official said.

Akram arrived in the U.S. recently on a tourist visa from Great Britain, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not intended to be public. London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement that its counter-terrorism police were liaising with U.S. authorities about the incident.

U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel told the House of Commons on Monday that she had spoken to her U.S. counterpart, Alejandro Mayorkas, and offered “the full support” of the police and security services in Britain in the investigation.

It wasn’t clear why Akram chose the synagogue, though the prison where Siddiqui is serving her sentence is in nearby Fort Worth.

Michael Finfer, the president of the congregation, said in a statement “there was a one in a million chance that the gunman picked our congregation.”

Akram used his phone during the course of negotiations to communicate with people other than law enforcement, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Multiple people heard the hostage-taker refer to Siddiqui as his “sister” on the livestream. But John Floyd, board chair for the Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations — the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy group — said Siddiqui’s brother, Mohammad Siddiqui, was not involved.

Texas resident Victoria Francis, who said she watched about an hour of the livestream, said she heard the man rant against America and claim he had a bomb. Biden said there were apparently no explosives, despite the threats.

“He was just all over the map. He was pretty irritated and the more irritated he got, he’d make more threats, like ‘I’m the guy with the bomb. If you make a mistake, this is all on you.’ And he’d laugh at that,” Francis said. “He was clearly in extreme distress.”

Colleyville, a community of about 26,000 people, is about 15 miles (23 kilometers) northeast of Fort Worth. Reached outside his home Sunday, Cytron-Walker declined to speak at length about the episode. “It’s a little overwhelming as you can imagine. It was not fun yesterday,” he told the AP.

Andrew Marc Paley, a Dallas rabbi who was called to the scene to help families and hostages upon their release, said Cytron-Walker acted as a calm and comforting presence. The first hostage was released shortly after 5 p.m. That was around the time food was delivered to those inside the synagogue, but Paley said he did not know if it was part of the negotiations.

Cytron-Walker said his congregation had received training from local authorities and the Secure Community Network, which was founded in 2004 by a coalition of Jewish organizations and describes itself as “the official safety and security organization” of the Jewish community in North America. Michael Masters, the CEO of the organization, said the congregation had provided security training in August and had not been previously aware of Akram.

The standoff led authorities to tighten security in other places, including New York City, where police said that they increased their presence “at key Jewish institutions” out of an abundance of caution.


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Yaakov Doe
Yaakov Doe
2 years ago

This clergyman posted on Twitter his thanks to his community, his family, the first responders etc but no mention at all of Hakodesh Boruchu, the Master of the Universe.
I can’t imagine a clergy member of any faith making such an omission.

Esther
Esther
2 years ago

I am saddened by the sina on this thread. This isn’t about reform or not.The gunman came after Jews. We don’t know the halachic status of any of these people and BTW,not all of us had the advantage of being raised from. You’re not going to lead anyone to Yiddishkait with these attitudes.

Lenny Friedman
Lenny Friedman
2 years ago

A Jewish House of Worship was chosen because Jews are in there. We need to realize that. It’s rather simple. The practices and levels of observance-made by those who were captured-was not a consideration to the Evil Terrorist. Why must it be a criteria for those naysayers here? Where does the Phrase-Acheinu Bnei Yisrael-have a list of qualifications? I Have never seen it.

Check it out
Check it out
2 years ago

Wonder if they checked their mezuzos yet

emetemet
emetemet
2 years ago

For folks who claim to be frum the hate on this thread is quite ugly. Where exactly have you learned your middos?

Eric from Dallas
Eric from Dallas
2 years ago

As I commmented on the other thread – note the emphasis in the interview on training. Arming congregants is something to think carefully about – training is necessary to avoid ‘friendly fire’ incidents, especially when there are multiple amateur armed responders.

In a crisis, I was taught to understand that people will not rise to the occasion – they will sink to the level of their training.

That’s exactly why the Rabbi succeeded here – he was well-trained.

Mark Mullins
Mark Mullins
2 years ago

God did not do this, faith did not do this, I did this

Rabbi Dr.Bernhard and Rosenberg
Rabbi Dr.Bernhard and Rosenberg
2 years ago

LESSON LEARNED. all places of worship should have security training and armed guards. Rabbi Rosenberg

FedUp
FedUp
2 years ago

Why are we calling this apikores a rabbi? We daven 3x/day for the destruction of reshaim like this. Stop this shtus.

This man is a kofer and, as things stand right now, is holding as an ein lo chelek l’olam haba. I have more respect for a goy.

Aguttenshabbos
Aguttenshabbos
2 years ago

His new name is Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker Texas Ranger.

Iyar5
Iyar5
2 years ago

Thrwing a chair at someone in America even under such circumstances is a violation of that kidnapper’s civil rights, so this Rabbi shall probably be sued by the estate of this kidnapper for having violated this kidnapper’s civil rights.

Ed Spence
Ed Spence
2 years ago

Look at the establishments website about their pastor.

Yosef
Yosef
2 years ago

The best apikorsem stories are always here.

Liam K. Nuj
Liam K. Nuj
2 years ago

Couldn’t he find something cheaper to throw at the gunman? I hear that seats in Reform synagogues can go for many thousands of dollars.

moshe
moshe
2 years ago

NOT A RABBI
and
NOT A SYNAGOUGE

Like it needs to be said!
Like it needs to be said!
2 years ago

Come on, please stop calling it a synagogue. You’re insulting every synagogue that there was and is in the world. This was a temple, no more no less. They are reformed congregation, no more and no less.

The rabbi can’t even acknowledge God in all his speeches. Why don’t you thank Hash-em?!!???

Efraim
Efraim
2 years ago

He is making huge chilul hashem calling himself rabbi .
Makes me sick to watch
When he speaks he seems completely disoriented .
Chabad needs to teach him about hashem and get him to start putting on tefillen