18-Year-Old Arrested Over Plot to Attack Houston Synagogue

An 18-year-old woman is being held on a $10 million bond after authorities alleged she conspired with two men to attack a Texas synagogue and “kill as many Jews as possible.” The suspect, a resident of Lexington, North Carolina, faces charges of felony conspiracy to commit murder and felony conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon. She was arrested on Wednesday, April 22, and appeared later that day in Davidson County District Court in Lexington.

The accused plotted with two unidentified men, referred to in records as “Angel” and “Teegan,” to target Congregation Beth Israel, a Reform synagogue in Houston, Texas. “The conspiracy is to kill as many jews as possible by driving through a congregation at the synagogue,” North Carolina prosecutors alleged in court documents. Officials say the planned attack was set for 2028. The two alleged co-conspirators have not been arrested and remain unidentified. A judge set bond at $10 million, citing the risk posed by the men still at large.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a social media post that the FBI received a tip on Tuesday, April 21, about “an individual out of Lexington, North Carolina, was planning a mass casualty event at a Jewish Day School near Houston, Texas.” The Shlenker School, a preschool and elementary institution affiliated with Congregation Beth Israel, is located on the synagogue’s campus. Patel said rapid coordination between FBI offices in Charlotte and Houston and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office “likely saved lives.” The congregation closed its campus on Wednesday, April 22, “out of an abundance of caution,” and the suspect is scheduled to appear in court again on May 13.

(INN/VFI News)

“Dear Lord, we thank You for the swift action of law enforcement that prevented an attack on Your people in Houston. We ask that You surround every synagogue, Jewish school, and Jewish community around the world with Your protection. Uproot the seeds of antisemitic hatred before they can grow into violence, and strengthen Jewish families who live under the shadow of such threats. In Yeshua’s Name, we pray for the hearts of those drawn into extremism to be turned toward repentance and justice.”