Local synagogues were on high alert and police dedicated extra attention to Jewish institutions after a shot was fired into West End Synagogue on Monday morning.
Police spokesman Don Aaron said a maintenance worker heard a loud sound at West End Synagogue at about 8:30 a.m. Monday and came to the front and saw a bullet hole.
Aaron said the worker called police. No one was injured, and police had not identified the shooter late Monday.
Mark Freedman, executive director for the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, said the Jewish community in the Middle Tennessee region is on high alert.
“Every synagogue and Jewish institution has been notified through our security team,” Freedman said Monday. “Naturally we are always concerned when incidents especially like this one come up.”
He said Jewish institutions are implementing heightened security measures and that he is in communication with police to follow up on the incident and to ensure security until it is certain there is not a continuing threat.
Aaron, the police spokesman, said he was not aware of recent threats to harm the synagogue or its membership.
West End Synagogue has more than 400 members and is affiliated with the conservative Judaism movement. Aaron said the incident happened before anyone arrived inside the synagogue.
The shooting happened as most Nashville-area Jewish leaders were preparing to gather at the state Capitol to take part in the annual Tennessee Holocaust Day of Remembrance.
Source: The Tennessean
