News wires
Alfredo Sanchez, 43, was arrested by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for threatening to carry out a mass shooting at the Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida in Fort Meyers on Wednesday.
Sanchez faces charges of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon.
He allegedly made a statement saying that he had the ability to carry out a shooting at the center which houses a synagogue and a school.
Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz, the center’s director, confirmed that Sanchez and his family were regulars at the center for about a year.
“He comes to the synagogue, prays, he studies, he volunteers, he helps out,” Rabbi Minkowicz said, “so yes absolutely it was a surprise we had no inkling of any of this stuff.”
The rabbi adds that investigators first started looking into Sanchez after hearing about an “unverified” threat against the south Fort Myers synagogue. The convicted felon had previously been arrested and sentenced to prison for firearms charges.
“Talking about threats against a synagogue, I will say yes we take that very, very, very, serious,” Rabbi Minkowicz said. “We work very closely constantly with the local authorities, state authorities, federal authorities. We have a big security budget here that’s funded by local people.”
“Sanchez made at least one statement indicating that he had the ability and the means to carry out a shooting at the synagogue,” LCSO Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in the press conference. “It was also reported that Sanchez offered to sell a firearm to a synagogue member.”
After LCSO interviewed multiple witnesses, probable cause was found for a search warrant of Sanchez’s home where a large amount of ammunition, gun cases, and other accessories were found, but no firearms.
VIDEO:
BH you found this out when you did. BH all are safe
The article clearly states that they didn’t find any guns?!?
Watch video at the end
They did find fire arms
but the big question is, Is he Jewish, his wife? They may think they are but may not actually be.
The big question is, is he REALLY actually Jewish? Was there a viable point here?
unfortunately, we came to a point where shluchim should make background checks for some newcomers
The name does not sound Jewish. They should investigate who sent him
to the Bais Chabad.
Many Sephardic Jews have Spanish names. Also it’s not our job to be gatekeepers unless there are people who are actively trying to infiltrate and convert people to Christianity.
It’s one thing to say that I’m sure the rabbi checked into it if he’s Jewish.the fact that you’re saying that it’s not our job to be gatekeepers it is everyone’s job (Especially a rabbi of a synagogue)to be gatekeepers specially If he puts on the straps on him and calls them up to the Torah
When someone comes into a shul and says he’s Jewish we do not investigate him. We call him to the Torah, we count him in a minyan, and if it’s not shabbos we put tefilin on him. We only investigate if he wants to marry someone we know to be Jewish.
When people say they are jewish we cant just accept it as true because a lot of people want to and consider themselves jewish
Sorry if that conflicts with your ashkenazi-centric view of judaism.
unfortunately!! We should never see…. but I could see this situation in many Chabad houses
(Meaning very unstable people…)
Yes yes yes. Investigate everyone that enters 770.
“Felon in Possession” is of interest to Law Enforcement, but, in this day and age, says absolutely nothing about whether this man was intent to harm the congregants, or to PROTECT them. This man is going to prison, almost certainly for years. His family is ruined. Are we seeing the just, and provident, short-circuiting of a massacre? Or, are we seeing a well-intended, but too-trusting guardian, being punished for disobeying the government? So far, we have no idea. BTW, in a free society, the “large” amount of ammunition breathlessly displayed represents maybe an hour or two at the range. Color… Read more »