Florida: Muslim man makes bomb threat targeting Tallahassee synagogue and issues threats against Governor DeSantis

Image: Jihad Watch

A Turkish national living in Florida was fatally shot by law enforcement officers on Thursday during an attempt to serve an arrest warrant related to a series of violent threats. According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, deputies confronted 38-year-old Ali Bayhan, who allegedly reached for a firearm as officers approached him. The warrant stemmed from threats he had made against a Tallahassee synagogue and several public officials, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Authorities stated that Bayhan had been under investigation for calling in a bomb threat to Temple Israel in Tallahassee earlier in the week. The Tallahassee Police Department confirmed that the threat was made via a phone call on Wednesday and was later traced back to Bayhan. Although the threat was ultimately deemed non-credible, the synagogue took immediate precautionary measures, evacuating the premises and alerting law enforcement.

In an official statement following the incident, Temple Israel acknowledged that while the bomb threat turned out to be baseless, it was treated with utmost seriousness and managed efficiently under the synagogue’s emergency protocols. The institution clarified that the threat did not contain antisemitic or anti-Zionist content, suggesting instead that it appeared to originate from an individual suffering from mental health issues.

Further investigations revealed that Bayhan had shared disturbing posts on social media, including messages about destroying the temple, as reported by Fox News. In light of his deteriorating mental condition, the Alachua County courts had previously ordered Bayhan to undergo an involuntary mental health evaluation after his family raised alarms about his behavior.

What began as a preventive measure against a potential threat thus ended in a tragic confrontation, highlighting the complex intersection of public safety, mental health concerns, and law enforcement response.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)