Rabbi Threw Chair At Hostage-Taker To End Texas Synagogue Standoff

To end the hours-long standoff at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, on Saturday, one of the hostages took matters into his own hands.

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker threw a chair at the hostage-taker which allowed him and two of the other hostages to escape Congregation Beth Israel, he said in on CBS This Morning Monday in his first time speaking publicly about the hostage situation. One of the hostages had already been freed at the time.

"I made sure that the two gentlemen who were still with me were ready to go. The exit was not too far away. I told them to go. I threw a chair at the gunman and I headed for the door. And all three of us were able to get out without even a shot being fired," Cytron-Walker said.

The rabbi said he made the decision to throw the chair and run when the hostage-taker was "melting down" after negotiating with law enforcement. After the hostages were able to run, police were able to enter the synagogue, according to NBC News. The hostage taker was later identified as 44-year-old British national Malik Faisal Akram. He was shot and killed by the FBI Hostage Rescue Team.