Hostages freed from Texas synagogue, local police say

All four people who were being held hostage for hours inside a Texas synagogue have been released, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said.

“Prayers answered. All hostages are alive and safe,” he wrote on social media after the three remaining hostages left the scene. At a press conference, local police said the suspect had died.

A man had been released hours earlier. Dara Nelson of the Colleyville Police Department says the man was released unharmed around 6 pm (local time).

According to information from CNN, investigators believe the suspect may have been motivated by a desire to free a woman named Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist serving an 86-year sentence in a Texas prison.

She was convicted in 2010 of seven counts, including attempted murder and armed assault against US officials in Afghanistan.

THE FBI it’s the Texas Department of Public Safety have been assisting the case since early afternoon at Congregation Beth Israel in the city of Colleyville, Texas, United States.

Police urged people to avoid the area and all residents in the area were evacuated.

At least four people were being held hostage, including the synagogue rabbi.

In addition to Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Nachman Shai, US President Joe Biden and Texas Governor Greg Abbott were monitoring the hostage situation.

*In update.