BREAKING: A gunman is holding the worshippers and Rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, TX hostage. They were just finishing Shabbat Services. https://t.co/t0JDife4no
— lisa hendricks (@MsLisaHendricks) January 15, 2022
Shabbat morning service began at 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the Reform Jewish congregation’s calendar. A neighbor told the Star-Telegram she saw SWAT officers headed toward the back of the synagogue with weapons drawn about 2 p.m. as the standoff continued.
Commenters on a Facebook livestream of a service at the synagogue said a man there is holding people hostage. An angry man could be heard ranting on the livestream, at times talking about religion. The video did not show what is happening in the building. The man has repeatedly mentioned his sister and Islam and used profanities. At one point, another voice can be heard apparently talking on the phone to police. The man has said a few times he didn’t want anyone hurt, and he has mentioned his children.
Last update is that they are going to send in SWAT.
Also, this is why you should always carry in Synagogue.
Always.
If I’m in Synagogue I’m packing a SIG P229 loaded with Winchester Ranger +P and two reloads.
Prayers for safety and an effective resolution to the situation.
I will be curious to see if this Synagogue had enforceable no carry signage. Texas law defaults to legal to carry in houses of worship, but the leadership of each institution has the ability to post signs that make it illegal (misdemeanor) to carry
@EagleAgg03: My first thought.
No shooting was reported so that is a good sign that maybe the hostage taker is expecting to survive and so would the hostages
Agreed, a.ways carry in shul.
Always carry.
In shul, given the last five millennia of history, always carry and bring reloads.
I just read that he claimed to have bombs planted, so perhaps going to gun wouldn’t be a first choice.
@Ish: My carrying got me “kicked out” of my local synagogue. 😢 They’re on their own.
I need to shul shop down in Manchester come the spring.
Sorry to hear that, Rick.
On the bright side, getting kicked out of a synagogue that doesn’t bother to follow the Torah isn’t exactly much of a loss.
@Ish: Thanks, man.
Always carry? As if in these insane times anyone wouldn’t?
Colleyville is an affluent city and suburb of Fort Worth located in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States. Located roughly 3.5 miles from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the population was 22,807 at the 2010 census.
latest reports are that he’s demanding a convicted terrorist be released. Translation: It will be off the newsfeeds by tomorrow.
You may also want to look at the Hornady Critical Duty +p 135 or the Speer G2 147.
I always carry in our synagugue, including on the Bimah, on Rosh Hashanah, when I’m usually the Torah reader. While we have some members who don’t even want to discuss firearms in shul, the president of our synagogue is a member of a local shooting club, and has quietly encouraged concealed carry in the shul. There’s no signage, and, in our state, it doesn’t have the force of law anyway–all the property owner can do is ask you to leave, and hit you for trespass if you refuse.
JPFO never made kippot with the logo, but Zelman Partisans did, and the logo is similar .
YMMV….
Although not Jewish, we keep the Sabbath. The church I previously attended was a very small group. At least one of the congregation was carrying every week. My wife and I currently teleconference now due to my wife’s health issues. I am at home but still within easy reach of my weapon.
Latest report is that all hostages are safe and the terrorist has met the room temperature challenge.
My best friend is an orthodox Jew. His Synagogue is very conservative (both religiously and politically) and several members (including he and his wife) carry without fail.
But he constantly expresses wonder (and not a small amount of disgust) to me at the number of Jews who are anti-gun.
It confuses me as well considering all the times throughout history that the Jewish people have been attacked, abused and outright murdered…in the US you live in a country that recognizes your right to be properly armed to defend yourself and your people, but consciously choose not to do so?
Baffling.
The WSJ reports: “Congregation Beth Israel is a Reform Jewish congregation”. It seems plausible that it’s a disarmed victim zone.