The week after Christmas is a time of peace and rejoicing for both Christians and for Jews of all varieties. Yet, that peaceful time was marred Saturday night, when a stranger entered a rabbi’s just outside New York home during a Hanukkah celebration. That was not the end of the nation’s religious attacks, though.
Yet, the violence against religious groups continued in another holy spot. Sunday morning a gunman entered a Texas church, West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, which is close to Ft. Worth. and shot three people. The first individual died outright sand another died on the way to church, according to a KTVT tweet.
The number of dead was two, and another shooting victim was in “critical condition.” Macara Trusty, spokesperson to The Dallas Morning News said:
‘One person died at the scene of the shooting, one person died en route to a hospital, and another person was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.’
The gunman entered the church during the communion ceremony and began firing. A witness saw him, then another church member pulled his gun and shot the suspect. The witness, Isabel Arreola told the television station:
‘It was the most scariest thing. You feel like your life is flashing before you. I was so worried about my little one.’
Later, the television station WFAA discovered that the church had been “live-streaming” its service during the attack. The live stream showed most church members ducking behind the pews and covering their heads.
Authorities said that the suspected shooter was also one of the shooting victims:
‘#BREAKING: 2 dead, 1 critically injured after shooting at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement: cbsloc.al/2MGv7Ql’
Fort Worth Fire Department spokesperson Mike Drivdahl said the agency released an “active threat” at about 11:30 a.m. Central Time.
According to CNN, a law enforcement source said that the suspect involved in the stabbings was discovered with “blood all over him,” after his string of stabbings that night. Five people went to area hospitals after the stabbings
The stabbings Saturday night occurred in a Hasidic Rabbi’s home:
‘At 9:50 this eve, a call came in about a mass stabbing at 47 Forshay Road in Monsey (Rockland County; 30 miles North of NYC). It’s the house of a Hasidic Rabbi. 5 patients with stab wounds, all Hasidic, were transported to local hospitals.’
Governor Andrew Cuomo released a statement about the attack. One of the victims in the home was the son of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg, where the attack occurred. Another victim suffered head wounds and is in serious condition. The rabbi’s son was recovering. Cuomo said:
‘They’re trying to inflict fear. They’re motivated by hate. They are doing mass attacks. These are terrorists in our country perpetrating terrorism on other Americans, and that’s how we should treat it and that’s how I want the laws in this state to treat it.’
Featured image via Twitter.
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