Chicago police said they are ‘paying special attention’ to places of worship in the area after gunfire erupted at a Michigan Jewish synagogue when a man drove into the building Thursday morning.
Authorities say a man rammed a vehicle through the doors of West Bloomfield’s Temple Israel before exchanging gunfire with security guards. The suspect was believed to be “deceased in the vehicle,” though authorities have yet to confirm what killed him.
Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI’s investigation into the incident, called it a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.”
No children or staff from the synagogue’s early childhood program were injured, though a security guard who was struck by the car and knocked unconscious was hospitalized. About 40 children were given refuge by a nearby homeowner who kept them safe in his garage until the threat was cleared.
A massive police response could be seen outside the synagogue, with multiple bomb squads at one point investigating the vehicle.
In addition to the pre-school, Temple Israel has a large congregation, with its website stating it is the “nation’s largest Reform synagogue.”
“Because of work of security team and because of the work of our staff, our children just thought an alarm had gone off and they were playing with their family and friends,” said Rabbi Josh Bennett of Temple Israel. “When you’re trained as a community, this is what happen, […] we are ready for this. This is the way our life looks like all the time.”
Steven Ingber, CEO of Jewish Detroit, said it costs millions for Jewish people to stay safe these days.
Ingber said they’ve done trainings for incidents like the one that occurred Tuesday “unfortunately, more often than we’re willing to admit.”
“It’s terrible. I wish I could compose myself to say something more intelligent. It is terrible that the number one thing we have to fund is security. In order to be Jewish, we have to raise dollars to keep everybody safe just so they can be Jewish,” Ingber said.
The impact of the traumatic incident that occurred roughly 20 miles northwest of Detroit was felt in the Chicago area.
The Chicago Police Department said it is “monitoring the situation” in Michigan and “paying special attention to places of worship” in the area. Though there is no “actionable intelligence related to Chicago at this time,” CPD said it is “paying special attention to places of worship and will adjust resources if necessary.”
Rabbi Zvi Engel, President of The Rabbinical Council of America and Rabbi of Congregation Or Torah in Skokie, echoed the sentiments of Ingber and Rabbi Bennett regarding the cost of staying safe.
“A considerable portion of our budgets, in many cases, just to keep our synagogues safe. And to be hardened targets, quite literally, in terms of the various security measures that are put in place, the surveillance in terms of cameras, and then the armed guards,” Engel said. “The four-year-old children in my synagogue have to walk through a gauntlet of guards in order to get into the synagogue.”
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said he was “horrified to learn of the shooting” in a post on social media.
“We must all condemn this unacceptable violence and ensure the Jewish community can worship without fear of attack,” he said. “Praying for everyone’s safety and thinking of the victims and those affected as we learn more.”
The FBI is asking anyone with photos or videos of the incident to submit them on their digital media tip line.
Hence then, the article about chicago police pay special attention to places of worship after attack at synagogue was published today ( ) and is available on NBC Chicago ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Chicago police pay ‘special attention' to places of worship after attack at synagogue )
Also on site :