Google Earth view of Beth Israel temple, Colleyville, Texas
Google Earth
A man apparently has taken people hostage at a synagogue near Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday.
The Colleyville Police Department said on Twitter it was conducting SWAT operations at the location of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. The FBI and Texas Department of Public Safety were also at the scene, according to CNN. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in a tweet it was also assisting with the situation.
Multiple reports say four people are being held hostage, including a rabbi. It was not immediately clear how many people were in the building. CNN reported that no injuries were reported so far, and residents in the immediate area were evacuated.
The man has told authorities he wants the release of Aafia Siddiqui from federal prison, according to NBC News, citing three senior law enforcement officials. Siddiqui was convicted by a federal jury in 2010 for attempting to kill U.S. officers in Afghanistan. She’s currently being held at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas. It wasn’t immediately clear if the person is related to Siddiqui.
The synagogue had been live-streaming its service on Facebook when listeners started to hear muffled audio between an alleged hostage-taker and negotiators, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The video has since been taken down.
The paper said an angry man could be heard ranting and talking about religion, but the live stream did not show what was happening inside the building. The man reportedly mentioned his sister and Islam, and said repeatedly he thought he was going to die, according to the report.
A White House official told NBC News that it is “closely monitoring” the potential hostage situation.
Colleyville, a town of about 26,000, is about 16 miles northeast of Fort Worth.
