Several days ago, forty-four-year-old Malik Faisal Akram became the center of attention in a deadly standoff with authorities. Akram enters a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas and takes three hostages. The FBI believes this incident occurred because he wanted “to see the release of a convicted terrorist who is serving an 86-year federal prison sentence in Fort Worth Texas.” This hostage situation would end after an eleven-hour standoff with one hostage being released and unharmed, three hostages escaping, and the authorities killing Akram. 

  Federal agents discovered days prior to the hostage incident that Akram spent three nights at Union Gospel Mission Dallas, a homeless shelter. His actions were described by CEO Bruce Butler: “He had a plan. He was very quiet. He was in and out.” According to Khalid Hamideh of the Islamic Center, before the hostage incident occurred, the visitor was seen at a Texas mosque. The Texas Mosque did not refuse Akram entry. However, Akram would not try to leave without an altercation. The issue arose when Akram wanted to spend the night in the mosque and felt that because he was Muslim, they should not reject him. When the leaders of the mosque refused him due to city regulations, Akram became very hostile. Hamideh said that the mosque official who interacted with Akram did not want to speak publicly but told the Islamic Center’s leadership that Akram displayed “erratic behavior”. Authorities were told by Hamideh that Akram would also switch from being normal to belligerent and aggressive. Hamideh stated he would be “acting like he is your best friend.” He would go on to say that later he would “flip flop in the behavior in the extremes.” This would prove important as local and federal officials began to investigate why just days later, he would hold some Jewish individuals hostage just miles away from the mosque. The importance of his unstable behavior would possibly give authorities some reason why this seemingly normal man could within a few days be able to commit such a crime. According to their records, Akram eventually left the shelter on Thursday, and visited the synagogue on Saturday, committing an unimaginable crime. These actions lead to Akram being taken down by authorities and the hostages remaining free and unharmed. This event would undeniably leave some viewers and hostages afraid. 

  One of the hostages Cytron Walker stated, “There was a chair that was right in front of me. I told the guys to go, I picked it up and I threw it at him with all the adrenaline. It was absolutely  terrifying and I wasn’t sure if I was going to be shot.” In contrast, someone a part of the Jewish community spoke about their feelings toward the situation and how situations pertaining to the Jewish community are not widely talked about. Senior Harrison Schwinger states, “I don’t know that much about the situation, but I’m used to major media sources not talking about it. Even social media pages that began in 2020 haven’t been talking about it. It’s a little frustrating because there’s nothing I can do until it happens to me.” In addition, people outside of the jewish community talk about their thoughts about the situation and how it made them feel. Sophomore Sofia Burr Reynolds states,“I was scared because this incident happened so suddenly and it really made me think about how if I was in school and this happened to me I would be terrified.” And junior Kiyah Lawrance states, “After reading about the situation I felt very upset and surprised that something like this happened.” 

  Not everyone will have the same reaction and feelings toward the event, but one thing is certain is this situation is a life-changing event and  will be remembered by many people.