AP reports that the gunman’s actions were not connected with the Jewish community.
YES
The armed hostage taker went to the synagogue to celebrate the sabbath.
NO
For sure he was bringing new year greetings to the Jews from his “religion of peace” (which also was not connected to his attack).
An armed attacker, later identified as British national Malik Faisal Akram, took over the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas on Saturday and held four people hostage. FBI stormed the builder later and the attacker died – all four hostages managed to escape unscathed.
Initially, FBI Special Agent in Charge Matt DeSarno said, “the Texas synagogue hostage taker’s demands were specifically focused on issues not connected to the Jewish community.” The statement received backlash from political commentators for overlooking the hate crime aspect of the attack.
Later the FBI released a statement saying, “This is a terrorism-related matter, in which the Jewish community was targeted, and is being investigated by the Joint Terrorism Task Force,” essentially backtracking from Agent DeSarno’s earlier statement.