OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
4:01 PM – Thursday, October 3, 2024
During a holiday dinner at the start of Rosh Hashanah, a gunman burst into the home of a University of Michigan Rabbi, holding him and twenty Jewish students of the school at gunpoint.
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“I’m taking everything, give me everything!” the gunman reportedly yelled while pointing a handgun.
However, according to the Detroit News outlet, witnesses heard no gunshots, and the house’s occupants quickly fled through a door, leaving the burglar with just a single purse he grabbed after rushing in.
The robbery suspect has not yet been found, but police simply described as a “Black man in his early 20s.”
Deputy Chief of Police Aaron Huguley spoke to reporters about the frightening dinner interruption.
“No one was injured during this incident,” Huguley said. “The preliminary investigation indicates this was a crime of opportunity. However, the investigation is ongoing.” Officers also noted that they do not believe this was a hate crime.
Additionally, an unidentified woman whom police believe was an accomplice in the robbery, has been taken into custody.
“A horrific event occurred late Wednesday night at the home of Rabbi Mendy Klahr,” stated university President Santa Ono in a statement. He also noted that the rabbi’s house was 40 minutes away from campus.
“I have spoken directly with students on the scene and some parents as well. Although we are grateful that the Rabbi, his family, and our students are safe, we take the safety of our students very seriously,” Ono said, adding that the university would be boosting security at Jewish centers on campus through the holiday weekend. “Fortunately, nobody was hurt,” he concluded.
The University of Michigan has also been recently accused of allowing violence against its Jewish students.
Two Jewish students reported in September that they had been assaulted during a fight outside the off-campus residence of Jewish fraternity members. One of the Jewish students was reportedly punched in the face as a conversation became more heated. Early the next day, a “group returned and threw glass bottles at the house,” Ono explained in the statement. In addition, another unnamed Jewish student had reported being beaten a few days prior, he added.
These incidents and the tense atmosphere on campus, as well as other college campuses across the U.S. since Hamas’ October 7th attack on Israel, have left many Jewish students feeling anxious.
“It’s honestly sad that we’re at this point where we have students who feel unsafe walking around on campus and we have to take these measures,” said 22-year-old student Leo Gabaron, who spoke to reporters.
“But we just want the Jewish community to know that there are people here for you, we’re all here for you, and there’s no reason for students to not feel safe,” he added.
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