Texas Synagogue Hostage Standoff: Animated Timeline

COLLEYVILLE, TEXAS — Following the resolution of the Texas synagogue hostage standoff, details of the terrorist’s timeline have begun to emerge.


Citing unnamed sources, the BBC reports Malik Faisal Akram, a 44-year-old from Blackburn, England, flew to New York’s JFK international airport on December 29.


Akram made his way to Dallas, where he bought a handgun and stayed at at least two homeless shelters, according to the Dallas Morning News.


At around 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 15, he entered the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in the suburb of Colleyville.


Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker told CBS he welcomed Akram into the synagogue and made him a cup of tea.


When the rabbi turned to face Jerusalem as he prayed, Akram produced a gun. He took the rabbi and thee others hostage and demanded the release of Islamist prisoner Aafia Siddique.


One hostage was freed at around 5 p.m. At around 9 p.m. the rabbi threw a chair at Akram and escaped with the other hostages.


Akram chased them before retreating back inside after spotting the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team. The FBI then breached the synagogue and Akram was shot and killed. None of the hostages were injured.