Raleigh, North Carolina – A North Carolina woman has been accused of participating in a plot to attack members of a Texas synagogue that aimed to “kill as many Jews as possible by driving through the congregation,” according to court documents.
Angelina Hahn Hicks, 18, of Lexington, was being held Thursday in the Davidson County Jail on a $10 million bond, jail records show.
Hicks was arrested Wednesday and formally charged with conspiring with two men to commit murder and assault at Congregation Beth Israel in Houston on April 21, 2028, according to arrest warrants that include two felony charges against her.
The men were identified under Hicks’ orders by their first names only, with their last names listed as “unknown.” Alan Martin, chief assistant district attorney, said Thursday he did not know whether the men were in custody.
While the arrest warrants point to a possible attack two years from now, Martin said in an interview that early Tuesday there was “some concern that there could be an imminent event” targeting the Houston synagogue.
Explaining why Hicks needed to be detained, District Judge Carlton Terry wrote Wednesday that the other two suspects had not been arrested and that “the alleged plot was intended to kill as many Jews as possible by driving through a congregation in a synagogue.”
“Allowing a co-conspirator the opportunity to communicate with any of these individuals or those who could convey a message puts people’s lives in danger,” Terry added.
A possible motive for the planned violence was not immediately revealed in North Carolina court documents. “At this point, I have no idea” why Congregation Beth Israel — which is more than 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) away from Lexington — was targeted, Martin said Thursday. The investigation is ongoing.
Attempts to speak by phone with Hicks’ court-appointed attorney early Thursday were unsuccessful. Attorney Chad Freeman He told the Houston Chronicle that the case was in its early stages and that Hicks’ youth could be a factor in her defence.
“I expect several experts to be involved in the case to look at investigative issues and potential criminal matters,” Freeman told the newspaper. Her next scheduled hearing is May 13.
Congregation Beth Israel is The oldest Jewish house of worship In Texas, it was founded in the 1850s. It also runs a school up to fifth grade.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston wrote in a social media post that potential threats reported by Houston police to the congregation’s leadership prompted Beth Israel to close on Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution.”
“The safety and security of Houston’s Jewish community is of the utmost importance to all of us,” the union wrote.
Lexington is located about 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of Raleigh.