Suspect Arrested After 'Mass Shooting' Threat at San Antonio Jewish Center

A suspect is in custody after allegedly threatening to carry out a mass shooting at a San Antonio Jewish site, the San Antonio Police Department stated on Thursday.

The FBI's field office in the city stated that it received information on Wednesday night that someone "may have been planning to conduct a mass shooting at a Jewish cultural enrichment center."

The bureau worked with the San Antonio police to investigate, and Jewish communal leaders were notified, it said. "Additional protocols were implemented to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish community here in San Antonio," it stated.

"An individual believed to be associated with this has been located by the FBI in another state and the investigation is continuing to determine the veracity of the threat information," it said. It added that it doesn't believe there to be an imminent threat to San Antonio's Jewish community.

"Antisemitism has no place in San Antonio, and we'll take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of our Jewish neighbors," stated Gina Ortiz Jones, the city's mayor.

The city's police department stated after learning of the threat, it "immediately increased police presence around Jewish facilities throughout the city as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the community."

It said that William McManus, the police chief, "has been notified that the suspect is now in custody" and that "the arrest was based on statements the individual made while being questioned by authorities."

"This development significantly mitigates any further danger related to the threat," the department stated, adding that it "will continue to monitor the situation closely and maintain open communication with local Jewish organizations."

KSAT-TV, an ABC affiliate in San Antonio, reported that the threatened site is the Barshop Jewish Community Center in San Antonio.

"Honestly, frustration more than anything because of how almost routine it is," Eric Ryniker, executive director of Temple Beth El, a Reform congregation in the city, told the station. "It's terrible. It's tragic. It's not OK."

"We have these protocols in place, because we know things like this are going to happen," he told the station.

This Jewish News Syndicate report was published with permission.