Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on February 23, 2020

A man was arrested last week after allegedly threatening to carry out a shooting attack on a Chabad center in Fort Myers, Florida.

At a press conference on Thursday, Sheriff Carmine Marceno identified the suspect as Alfredo Sanchez - whom the sheriff said was a congregant at the synagogue.

"On Tuesday, February 18, the Lee County Sheriff's Office received information regarding a threat made against a synagogue in Fort Myers. That information expressed concerns involving a member of the Temple," Marceno said.

Sanchez made at least one statement indicating that he had the ability and the means to carry out a shooting at the synagogue, the sheriff noted. It was also reported that Sanchez offered to sell a firearm to a synagogue member.

According to the sheriff, Sanchez had previously been convicted of felony in Miami-Dade County, and sentenced to prison for firearms.

"Detectives interviewed multiple witnesses and ultimately established probable cause for a search warrant for Sanchez's home," where they discovered a large amount of ammo, gun cases, gun cleaning accessories, but no firearms.

Investigators later discovered a duffel bag containing 4 firearms, including an AK-47 rifle, that Sanchez had dropped off at a nearby relative's house a short while before, the sheriff said.

Chabad website COLlive reported on Friday that the suspect and his family had been "regulars" at the synagogue for about a year.

He comes to the synagogue, prays, he studies, he volunteers, he helps out, Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz, who heads the center, confirmed to COLlive.

So, yes, absolutely it was a surprise - we had no inkling of any of this stuff.

Sanchez faces charges of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.

More:

Former congregant arrested after threatening to shoot up Chabad in Fort Myers - US & Canada - Arutz Sheva

Category: Synagogue
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