Rabbi believed to be taken hostage in TX is Lansing native

Hostage situation in Colleyville, TX
Photo credit Emil Lippe / Stringer/Getty

(WWJ) - One of the hostages at the Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas is believed to be Lansing native, Charlie Cytron-Walker.

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According to the synagogue's website, Cytron-Walker graduated in 1998 from the University of Michigan and served in congregations across Michigan, Ohio and Florida.

He later worked for Focus: HOPE in Detroit and went on to become the assistant director of the Amherst Survival Center in Massachusetts.

Cytron-Walker became the rabbi at Beth Israel in 2006. He is married with two daughters.

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker
Photo credit Congregation Beth Israel

The Colleyville Police Department said in a tweet that they were conducting SWAT operations at the address of Congregation Beth Israel Saturday afternoon.

FBI Dallas spokeswoman Kati Chaumont said to The Associated Press that no injuries have been reported and crisis negotiators are communicating with someone inside the building.

“It’s an evolving situation, and we have a lot of law enforcement personnel on scene,” Chaumont said to The Associated Press.

This is a developing story, stay with WWJ for the latest.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Emil Lippe / Stringer/Getty