Colleyville rabbi says he threw chair at hostage-taker before escaping synagogue

The rabbi who was among the four people held hostage for more than 11 hours inside a Colleyville synagogue said that he and members of his congregation escaped after he threw a chair at the hostage-taker, according to a Monday interview with CBS Mornings.

Congregation Beth Israel Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker told CBS Mornings that the hostage-taker, later identified as 44-year-old British national Malik Faisal Akram, knocked on his synagogue door and Cytron-Walker let him in, thinking the man needed shelter. Cytron-Walker made him tea and talked to him.

He said some of Akram’s story didn’t add up, and he didn’t reveal his intentions until “plenty of time in.”

When the congregation was praying and the rabbi’s back was turned, Cytron-Walker heard a click and later realized it was Akram’s gun.

“It was overwhelming, and we’re still processing,” he said. “It’s been a lot. It’s been completely overwhelming.”

Law enforcement officials have credited Cytron-Walker for being calm and collected during the incident. Cytron-Walker told CBS Mornings that being a calm, non-anxious presence is a part of what he does as a rabbi.

“We do that in hospital rooms,” he said. “We do that during the most difficult of individual moments. And I did the best I could to do that throughout the standoff.”

He also said the congregation has taken courses with the FBI and the Colleyville Police Department to know what to do if there’s a gunman situation, and that experience helped him.

During the last hour of the standoff, Cytron-Walker said, Akram wasn’t getting what he wanted from police and was getting frustrated.

“It didn’t look good,” he said “It didn’t sound good. We were terrified.”

When he saw an opportunity, he threw a chair at Akram and ran out along with the two other people who were still being held inside. One of the hostages was released earlier in the afternoon.

Moving forward, Cytron-Walker said, the group is still processing the situation, but he’s appreciative of the support he’s received.

He also said the congregation is “definitely” going to return to their synagogue.

“Unfortunately we’ve experienced great difficulty and challenge as a people,” he said. “And at the same time we’ve experienced great resilience. [Going back] won’t necessarily be an easy thing, but it’s an important thing.”

This story was originally published January 17, 2022 at 9:49 AM.

David Silva Ramirez

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

David Silva Ramirez was a racial equity reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram until 2023. He was raised in Dallas-Fort Worth.