WEEKLY UPDATE 09/16/2019
Please contact us to arrange for an Active Assailant training session for your congregation.
INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS OF NOTE
A vandal has spray painted the front wall of a 111 year old mosque in Brisbane, Queensland. The Holland Park Mosque was vandalized by someone who wrote "remove kebab" and referred to the Christchurch mosque shooter as a "Saint." "Remove Kebabs": was written on the gun barrel of the Churchcrist shooter. The mosque had launched a Safety Fundraising Drive to improve relations in the community.
Phillip Manshaus, who faces terror and murder charges in Oslo, Norway, defiantly stood in court and rendered a Nazi salute during his initial appearance in court. Manshaus is accused of the attempted terror attack at the Al Noor Islamic Center. He stormed the mosque with several guns and fired shots before he was overpowered by parishioners. One person was injured in the attack.
DOMESTIC INCIDENTS OF NOTE
Police in Jersey City, NJ are trying to identify the vandal who desecrated a statue of the Virgin Mary outside of the St. Michael Church. The vandal smeared the face of the statue with dog feces.
Matthew Amiot has been charged with arson for the intentional fire set at Adas Israel synagogue in Duluth, MN. The synagogue was heavily damaged. Investigators determined the fire was set outside of the church and does not appear that accelerants were used. For that reason they are reluctant to categorize the incident as a hate crime at this point, but stress that their investigative conclusion could change as the investigation progresses.
For the second time in recent months a large metal sign at Lehigh University's "Office of Jewish Student Life" has been removed from the building. For that reason college authorities are not considering the incident to be a prank. Investigation has determined that someone got out of a car, cut the sign off of the building, put it in his car and drove away.
After having his romantic overtures rejected, Hanson Larkin made threats to "shoot up" a local synagogue. Larkin stated "if meeting me for five seconds is not worth the lives of multiple Jews then I have no other option. There's a Chahad near me. And Amtrak has no security for weapons. Don't make me make a choice they'll regret." Larkin, of Orlando, FL has been charged federally with making interstate threats.
Just before midnight, police in Nashville, TN responded to the Nashville First Baptist Church after receiving reports that an individual had broken a light fixture from the front of the church and used it to break the glass door to gain entry. Once inside they found Jerry Jemson hiding between pews and he was taken into custody. He has been charged with felony vandalism and resisting arrest. His motives remain unknown.
The Sheraden United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, PA was heavily damaged by fire after workers on the roof apparently ignited the flames with blow torches. Fire authorities caution the fire remains under investigation, but no criminal intent has been identified as of this time. It is too soon to determine if the building can be saved at this point.