It's Over At Texas Synagogue: no injuries of hostages; suspect dead

After an hours-long standoff at a Colleyville, Texas synagogue, the gunman who had taken hostages is dead. [H/T Fox News]

The suspect had let one of the hostages leave the temple unharmed and the three remaining hostages were "out alive and safe," according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. "Prayers answered. All hostages are out alive and safe," he tweeted.

Just prior to that tweet a loud bang and then gunfire were heard at Congregation Beth Israel. Hostage negotiators were working feverishly to free the hostages.

"The subject is deceased," Colleyville police Chief Michael Miller told reporters at a news conference around 11:20 p.m. ET. The identity of the hostage taker was not being immediately released, possibly because he was a Muslim and we don't want to upset the apple cart.

Over 200 law enforcement officers were involved in the situation that began earlier in the morning. A SWAT team responded to the synagogue after the suspect entered it and took hostages during services that were being live-streamed on Facebook. 

The call to police went in at 10:41 a.m.

The suspect was evidently a supporter of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani who in 2010 tried to murder and assault U.S. military personnel. She was sentenced to a mere 86 years and is being held at Federal Medical Center Carswell, at a prison in Fort Worth. 

She is also known as "Lady al Qaeda" but you can call her Al.

* * *

Why not subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against the tech giants.

* * *

As the hostage situation unfolded, the Colleyville cops tweeted that all residents in the immediate area of the synagogue were being evacuated, and an update was given at 1:20 p.m. explaining that the situation was still a situation and advised people to stay clear of the area.

ABC News reported the hostages included the synagogue's Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker.

Rumor has it that CNN received 2 additional viewers at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, but that is not confirmed.

No injuries were reported other than those of the suspect.

Tweet