A coordinated law enforcement operation led by the FBI thwarted a planned attack on multiple synagogues in Alabama, resulting in the arrest of a suspect and the seizure of a large cache of weapons, WKRG-TV reported.
The Clarke County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrest in a statement posted to Facebook.
According to the post, several federal agencies were alerted to “credible threats of violence” targeting synagogues in Alabama and neighboring states. Investigators identified a suspect residing in Needham and obtained a search warrant for the individual’s home.
The 1st Judicial Circuit Special Response Team - comprising deputies and officers from multiple agencies - executed the search and uncovered what authorities described as a “disturbing plan” along with a significant stockpile of weapons. Among the items seized were firearms, more than a suitcase full of ammunition, body armor, and “other items related to the plans of violence.”
The suspect, identified by WKRG-TV as Jeremy Shoemaker of Needham, allegedly intended to die in the attacks and may have also been planning violence against public officials, according to the sheriff’s office.
The investigation remains ongoing and involves multiple federal agencies. Authorities anticipate federal charges in addition to local charges, including resisting arrest and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.