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Crime, Law and Justice
Feven Gerezgiher
Updated:

Man arrested for alleged terrorist threats against Minneapolis synagogue

Three people stand near a podium.
Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman (center) speaks at a press conference with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (left) and Chief Brian O'Hara Saturday.
Feven Gerezgiher | MPR News

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Minneapolis police officers have arrested a man who allegedly made terroristic threats against a Minneapolis synagogue.

Last month, staff at Temple Israel reported receiving several phone calls from an individual threatening to “shoot up” the synagogue. Police say that same man was observed outside Temple Israel on Thursday with a firearm. He reportedly fled the area before officers could arrest him.

Officers located and arrested the man Friday night. A gun was not recovered.

He is identified as a 21-year-old from Richfield. MPR News does not usually name suspects unless they are formally charged.

At a press conference on Saturday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said there was no evidence the threat was motivated by antisemitism. But he expressed concern because of the timing and an increase in antisemitic statements, behavior and violence over the last year.

“Since the October 7 terrorist attacks, the worst terrorist attack on our Jewish community since the Holocaust, our police officers have been present where a whole lot of hateful rhetoric has been said against our residents, against members of our community, simply because they are Jewish,” O’Hara said.

O’Hara said there have been no specific threats against Jewish institutions in Minneapolis, but there have been threats against others around the country. He added that “out of an abundance of caution,” Minneapolis police had deployed extra patrols to synagogues and Jewish community centers for the Jewish holy days and the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.

O’Hara said the department instituted the plan after meeting with leaders at Temple Israel, a Jewish student organization at the University of Minnesota and other stakeholders.

“Sadly, this is one of many examples for Temple Israel and many Jewish organizations over this recent period of time where there have been threats,” said Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman, speaking at the press conference alongside Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis.

Frey is a congregant at Temple Israel and said he was observing Rosh Hashanah with his wife during this week’s threat. He said Jews in Minneapolis and elsewhere are “seeing the repercussions of a war that is taking place across the world” and cautioned people to stand against hateful rhetoric online.

“We all have an obligation here, not just to act with peace, but to encourage peace from our neighbors regardless of what happens around the world,” Frey said.