MINNEAPOLIS– A Minnesota man was arrested after allegedly threatening to “shoot up” a synagogue in Minneapolis, officials announced Saturday.
Temple Israel staff reported to Minneapolis police on September 11 that they had received several phone calls from an individual threatening to “shoot up” the synagogue. Then on Thursday, a special police unit provided extra patrols around Temple Israel Jewish New Year and the one-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack about Israel were informed of a man outside with a gun. He fled the area, but officers arrested a 21-year-old man the next day.
“Everyone in Minneapolis has the right to feel safe in their community, and we will ensure our Jewish neighbors are protected as they celebrate the holy days,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at a news conference. “We take all threats against our religious institutions seriously and will continue to hold accountable those individuals who threaten any of our city’s houses of worship.”
O’Hara said officers learned the man had used a phone app to mask his voice while making repeated threats against the synagogue.
Officers found no weapon.
The man was arrested for making “terrorist threats” and charges will be referred to the Hennepin County Prosecutor’s Office. O’Hara said officers found no evidence the threat was motivated by anti-Semitism, but he said the timing of the threats was concerning.
“Since the terrorist attacks of October 7, the worst terrorist attack on our Jewish community since the Holocaust, our police officers have been present where a lot of hateful rhetoric has been expressed against our residents, against members of our community, simply because they are Jewish,” O’Hara said.
