Synagogue hostage crisis: Prisoners freed by FBI after 11 hour stand off

The FBI in Texas has killed the gunman responsible for taking hostages in a synagogue just outside Dallas.

A gunman is believed to have taken several hostages at the Beth Israel congregation, during their Shabbat service yesterday afternoon. After a tense standoff which lasted over 11 hours, an FBI team stormed the building to free the hostages. All were freed unharmed.

Update at 9:55pm: The SWAT situation in Colleyville is resolved and all hostages are safe. We continue to work in partnership with the FBI to finalize all details. We will be addressing the media staging area at Good Shepherd Catholic Church at 10:15pm with an update.

— Colleyville Police (@ColleyvillePD) January 16, 2022

The local police department in Colleyville confirmed they conducted SWAT operations, with the FBI leading the hostage negotiations, managing to free one of the hostages before they stormed the synagogue.

UPDATED INFO: One suspect has taken the Rabbi and 3 others hostage at a synagogue in Colleyville, TX. The hostage-taker is claiming to be armed and says his sister is Aafia Siddiqui, who was convicted in New York of trying to kill US military personnel. @AaronKatersky @ABC
— Erielle Reshef (@ErielleReshef) January 15, 2022

Local journalists have said that the hostage-taker was heard to have a British accent, but this has yet to be confirmed by official sources. According to video circulating on social media, over 8,000 people were watching a livestream of the Saturday afternoon service. It is not known how many people were in attendance at the synagogue.

During the siege at the synagogue, the gunman was heard repeatedly demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently imprisoned in a nearby prison on terror charges.

One suspect has taken the rabbi and three others hostage at a synagogue in Colleyville, TX. The hostage-taker is claiming to be armed and says his sister is Aafia Siddiqui, who was convicted in New York of trying to kill US military personnel
— Aaron Katersky (@AaronKatersky) January 15, 2022

Several prominent Jewish figures including Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that they were monitoring events in Texas.

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

The governor of the state, Greg Abbott also tweeted that his "prayers were answered" after news broke that all the hostages had been freed safely.

Prayers answered.

All hostages are out alive and safe.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 16, 2022

In a press conference after the hostages were freed, the FBI said that they knew the man's identity but were choosing not to release it to the public. According to Matthew DeSarno, the FBI special agent who led the rescue operation, the captor was "singularly focused on one issue and it was not specifically related to the Jewish community.”