Minneapolis police announced Saturday that they plan to provide extra patrols near Jewish synagogues this month for the Jewish holy days and the anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel. St. Paul police will do the same.
“We are always in contact with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners and looking for any possible threats to any of our houses of worship,” said St. Paul police spokesman Mike Ernster. “Those relationships also extend into our Jewish community where we are in communication with their leadership and address any concerns they might have. This is an ongoing process as we try and keep them and everyone else safe in our community.”
In September, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and officers met with leaders from Minneapolis synagogues, the Jewish Community Relations Council and University of Minnesota students at Temple Israel, according to a news release. The department then developed a plan to enhance patrols around synagogues and community centers during the Jewish holy days, including Rosh Hashanah (Oct. 2-4), Yom Kippur (Oct. 11-12) and the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
Hamas terrorists killed more than 1,200 people in Israel, making it one of the “deadliest events for Jewish people since the Holocaust,” according to the American Jewish Committee.
Staff at Temple Israel reported to Minneapolis police on Sept. 11 that they had received multiple phone calls from an individual threatening to “shoot up” the synagogue, according to the release.
On Thursday, an officer was notified of a man standing outside Temple Israel with a firearm. The man, identified as Jaden LeBlanc, 21, fled the area before officers were able to arrest him and was later identified as the same man who made the threatening phone calls, according to the release.
LeBlanc was arrested by police later Thursday and booked into booked into the Hennepin County Jail.
“Everyone in Minneapolis has the right to feel safe in their communities, and we will ensure our Jewish neighbors are protected as they celebrate the holy days,” O’Hara said. “We take all threats made against our religious institutions seriously, and will continue to hold the individuals accountable who threaten any of our city’s houses of worship. I am incredibly grateful for the work of investigators in this case for quickly responding to the threats and likely preventing a tragedy from occurring.”
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