As of 12:31 p.m. Saturday, the Colleyville Police Department in Texas was conducting SWAT operations. Hours later, the operations were ongoing.
Colleyville is located about 28 miles from Dallas, Tex.
According to police, the SWAT operations were being conducted in the 6100 block of Pleasant Run Drive in Colleyville. Congregation Beth Israel, a synagogue, is listed at the address. The FBI was en-route to the scene late Saturday afternoon, and CNN reported that the White House was monitoring the situation.
It is unclear if any shots have been fired, said KRLD reporter Andrew Greenstein from the scene. A law enforcement official told CNN that there were at least four hostages and one was believed to be a rabbi. Police said Saturday evening that no injuries had been reported.
According to CBS DFW, Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker is believed to be in the building. He was hired for the position in 2006 and is originally from Lansing, Mich., said the outlet. Cryton-Walker graduated from University of Michigan. After graduating he worked at Focus: HOPE, a civil and human rights organization in Detroit, Mich. and then became the assistant director of the Amherst Survival Center, which housed a food pantry, free store and soup kitchen in North Amherst, Mass.
A Dallas Morning News report confirmed that police were involved in a standoff at a synagogue Saturday afternoon.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, authorities north of Fort Worth were negotiating with a man who has apparently taken people hostage at the Colleyville synagogue during services that were livestreamed on Facebook.
Both the Star-Telegram report and screenshots obtained by KRLD indicate that the man mentioned his sister and death during the livestream. A source told ABC News that the man claimed to be the brother of convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui. At this time, his identity has not been confirmed.
"We strongly condemn the hostage-taking at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. This antisemitic attack against a house of worship is unacceptable. We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community, and we pray that law enforcement authorities are able to swiftly free the hostages and bring them to safety. We want to make it very well known that the hostage-taker is NOT Dr. Aafia Siddiqui's brother, who is not even in the same region where this horrible incident is taking place. We want the hostage-taker to know that Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and her family strongly condemn this act and do not stand by you. Dr. Aafia’s family has always stood firm in advocating for the release of their sister from incarceration by legal and non-violent means only," said a statement from Council on American–Islamic Relations-Houston Board Chair John Floyd and legal counsel for the brother of Dr. Aafia.
"This assailant has nothing to do with Dr. Aafia, her family, or the global campaign to get justice for Dr. Aafia," said the statement. "We want the assailant to know that his actions are wicked and directly undermine those of us who are seeking justice for Dr. Aafia. On behalf of the family and Dr. Aafia, we call on you to immediately release the hostages and turn yourself in. The CAIR-Houston office has represented Dr. Aafia’s brother since 2004. We have confirmed that the family member being wrongly accused of this heinous act is not near the DFW Metro area. We call on the reporters that claimed this man to be a member of Dr. Aafia’s family to correct their reports and issue an apology to the Siddiqui family."
Aaifa Siddiqui is a Pakistani national who was educated in the U.S., according to Al Jezeera. She was charged with attempting to kill U.S. soldiers and FBI agents during interrogation after her arrest in 2008 in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province.
The Star-Telegram said the live Facebook recording captured audio of what sounds like negotiations with police.
"The Texas Department of Public Safety is working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville. The State of Texas is ready to provide additional assistance as requested and we will continue to monitor the situation. I ask Texans to join Cecilia and me as we pray for the safety of the congregants," said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a statement.
As the situation continued, comments poured in on social media:
KRLD has reached out to law enforcement for confirmation and more information.
Check back for updates.
