Regional police agencies step up patrols after Poway synagogue attack
The Los Angeles Police Department and other law enforcement agencies in Southern California were monitoring Saturday’s deadly shooting at a synagogue in San Diego County and some planned to conduct high-visibility patrols around houses of worship in their areas, officials said.
“We’re closing monitoring the synagogue shooting in Poway and communicating with our local, state and federal partners,” the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted. “At this time there’s no nexus to Los Angeles, but in an abundance of caution, we will conduct high visibility patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship.”
Long Beach Police also were on alert.
Our thoughts & prayers are with those affected by today’s horrific attack in Poway. Although there is no info indicating a nexus to #LongBeach, #LBPD is continuing to monitor the situation and will be providing additional patrols around our local places of worship.
— Long Beach PD (CA) (@LBPD) April 27, 2019
Similarly, the Riverside City Police Department ramped up visible patrols around the two Jewish synagogues in the city.
“Our chief spoke to both rabbis to express support and concern for their facilities and congregants,” Officer Ryan Railsback said.
Temple Beth El and Chabad Jewish Community Center are both located in Riverside.
In Orange County, the Irvine Police Department and the Sheriff’s Department said they were monitoring the San Diego County shooting and also had stepped up patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship.
There is currently no information indicating any connection with the incident in San Diego to the City of Irvine. We are committed to the safety of all our places of worship and for all who exercise their right to worship. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected.
— IPD (@IrvinePolice) April 28, 2019
“Today’s shooting at a synagogue in San Diego is yet another attack on a community of faith. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this act of violence. As I have stated repeatedly in the wake of similar incidents, OCSD is committed to defending those who exercise heir freedom to worship. At this time the attack has no nexus to Orange County, but out of an abundance of caution I have directed our patrol deputies to conduct high visibility patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship,” Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes wrote in a tweet.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, which was investigating the Poway shooting, also set up extra patrols at houses of worship.
Update #6 @SDSheriff will be providing extra patrols at places of worship this weekend. We encourage congregations to call us with any security concerns. If you see something suspicious, say something. Call the @sdcrimestoppers anonymous line(888) 580-8477.
9-1-1 for emergencies.— San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) April 27, 2019
The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles released the following statement:
“This tragic attack, on the last day of Passover, is a horrific reminder that the flames of hatred still burn strong among some. An attack, on any house of worship, from churches in Sri Lanka and France to synagogues in Jerusalem or Pittsburgh to mosques in Christchurch, are an assault on human dignity and our rights as people of faith to pray to God. Today’s attack comes close to six months after October’s Pittsburgh synagogue massacre where 11 Jews were gunned down by a neo-Nazi white supremacist. There have been at least three other attacks on synagogues — in Ohio, Georgia, and Montana — that were thwarted by authorities since then.”