Rabbi held hostage threw a chair at gunman to escape
![Texas synagogue Congregation Beth Israel](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/68DX39hps7CZ4fsEwvrQUd-415-80.jpg)
One of the people held hostage by a gunman at a Texas synagogue recalled details of the disturbing event on Monday, telling CBS News how he survived.
Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker said he let the gunman into Congregation Beth Israel on Saturday because he appeared to need shelter, per The Associated Press. Cytron-Walker and another member of the congregation, Jeffrey R. Cohen, said they relied on past security trainings during the 11-hour standoff. "Where I saw an opportunity when he wasn't in a good position," recalled Cytron-Walker to CBS, "I told [the other hostages] to go, I threw a chair at the gunman, and I headed for the door."
"We escaped," Cohen said. "We weren't released or freed." The suspect released one hostage earlier in the evening, and the remaining three got out around 10 p.m.
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The U.K. government confirmed on Sunday that the suspect, now identified as Malik Faisal Akram, was a British national. Akram was reportedly killed by FBI agents responding to the scene.
The FBI is investigating the case as a terrorist incident, reports The Washington Post, and British authorities arrested two teenagers in relation to the investigation.
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Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
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