COLLEYVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Texas DPS, FBI agents, and Colleyville Police are in the area of the 6100 block of Pleasant Run Road conducting SWAT operations.
Keller Police SWAT and Dallas ATF agents were called in to assist as well.
READ MORE: Cowboys And 49ers Fans Ready For Sunday Playoff Battle
This is around Congregation Beth Israel. Residents in the area are being evacuated, but police believe there is no threat to the public. There are no injuries being reported at this time.
A Facebook live feed from Congregation Beth Israel was on when the incident started to unfold. Shabbat services were being streamed at the time according to the Congregation’s website.
The man could be heard on the stream angrily ranting, though his motive is still currently not known.
It appears there are hostages inside the building, but the number of people inside the synagogue is unclear. FBI negotiators were reported to be in contact with the suspect.
The congregation began in 1998 as Chavurah community members started to relocate to Northeast Tarrant County from other areas of the county. CBI was officially established in 1999 with 25 members. By 2005, they had grown enough to hire a full-time rabbi.
Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who is believed to be in the building, was hired for the position in 2006. Charlie is originally from Lansing, Michigan where he graduated from University of Michigan. After graduating he worked at Focus: HOPE, a civil and human rights organization in Detroit, Michigan and then became the assistant director of the Amherst Survival Center, which housed a food pantry, free store and soup kitchen in North Amherst, Massachusetts.
READ MORE: Texas’ New Voting Law Snags US Citizens, Mail Ballot Requests
He has two daughters, and is married to his wife. He is a past president of the South West Association of Reform Rabbis and serves on the steering committee of Peace Together.
Government And International Officials Respond
Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted that he was “closely monitoring the hostage situation” and prayed for the safety of the hostages and rescuers.
I am closely monitoring the hostage situation taking place in Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas.
We pray for the safety of the hostages and rescuers.
— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) January 15, 2022
Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that President Biden was aware of the situation and was receiving updates.
.@POTUS has been briefed about the developing hostage situation in the Dallas area. He will continue to receive updates from his senior team as the situation develops. Senior members of the national security team are also in touch with federal law enforcement leadership.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) January 15, 2022
Senator Ted Cruz said he and his wife Heidi are praying for the hostages and rescuers, and that he and his staff are closely monitoring the situation and are in contact with local and national authorities.
Heidi and I are praying for those at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville and for the SWAT team and all other law enforcement on the scene responding.
My staff and I are closely monitoring the situation and are in close contact with local and national authorities.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 15, 2022
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was monitoring the situation and that Texas DPS was working closely with local and federal teams.
The Texas Dept. of Public Safety is on the scene of the tense hostage situation in Colleyville, Texas.
They are working with local and federal teams to achieve the best and safest outcome.
I continue to monitor the situation through DPS.@TxDPS https://t.co/bAARmIifdb
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 15, 2022
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the Dallas Police Department would deploy additional patrols to Dallas synagogues as a precaution.
As a precaution, @DallasPD is deploying additional patrols to Dallas synagogues and other sites. Police are working with the Jewish Federation and our local, state, and federal partners to monitor any concerns or threats based on the situation in Colleyville.
— Mayor Eric Johnson (@Johnson4Dallas) January 15, 2022
MORE NEWS: The Black Academy Of Arts And Letters’ MLK Concert Returns For 39th Year
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
