University of Michigan rabbi, students held at gunpoint after dinner

Nov 07, 2024

A masked gunman broke in to a Southfield home of a rabbi who works with the University of Michigan community late Wednesday during a Jewish holiday meal hosted for roughly 20 students, according to Southfield police and university officials.

The gunman did not fire any shots but displayed a weapon at the Southfield home, police said. No injuries were reported.

"The suspect was armed with a handgun and stated, 'I’m taking everything, give me everything,'" read a news release from the Southfield Police Department.

"The preliminary investigation indicates this was a crime of opportunity. However, the investigation is ongoing."

The release stated police identified the suspect and are working to arrest him. They have already arrested another person they believe was involved.

The attack came at the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year and start of the High Holy Days. It also occurred weeks after multiple Jewish students reported attacks on or near the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus.

Dan Kaplan said his son, a sophomore in the university's business school, was at the dinner. His son, who asked not to be named, told his dad what he remembered happening.

Kaplan said his son recalled a masked man with a gun entering the home and the rabbi's wife screaming. Most of the others at the dinner ran out of the front door, but Kaplan said his son did not immediately register what was happening.

"When the gun got pointed at him, he ran," Kaplan said in a phone interview. "He said two of his friends hid behind a couch and they were pretty shook up.

Kaplan emphasized his son did not get the impression the attack occurred because the participants were Jewish.

"The whole time as it was happening, in his mind he thought it was not connected to Antisemitism. In his mind, he thought it was a burglary or home invasion," Kaplan said.

He said his son is doing ok today, but he's a little concerned. Both for his son, and for the Jewish community.

In a statement Thursday, President Santa Ono said the university is steadfast in its commitment to student safety.

"Late last night, a group of Jewish students had gathered for dinner at the Southfield home of a local rabbi when, shortly before 11 p.m., an armed individual entered through an open backdoor, stole a bag and fled," the statement reads in part.

"This past year, there have been innumerable events locally and globally that have felt overwhelming and unsettling to many in our community. As tensions in the Middle East have escalated in recent days, it is more important than ever that we work collectively to offer solace and safety to one another."

He encouraged anyone with information to contact Southfield police.

In early September, a Jewish student told police he was approached by a group of people. They asked if he was Jewish; when he confirmed, he said they assaulted him. Days later, Ann Arbor police say someone punched a student on the porch of a home where students from a historically Jewish fraternity live. Later, a group returned and threw glass bottles at the home.

An Ann Arbor police spokesman said Thursday the investigations are ongoing.

Last week, Ono commented on the string of attacks involving Jewish students. He also confirmed the university found racist graffiti "targeting our Black community" in a residence hall.

"As the academic year begins, I want to make absolutely clear that racism, violence and hate of any kind is antithetical to our mission and values, and we will not tolerate it. Fortunately, and while we alone cannot eradicate prejudice and violence, these events are not the norm," Ono said in the Friday statement.

The previous attacks prompted Jewish students to put together a volunteer group to walk with students on campus.

The violence comes after a year of protests on campus, broadly related to the ongoing war in Gaza. Demonstrations are expected on Monday, the year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Israel.

Reach Dave Boucher at [email protected] and on X, previously called Twitter, @Dave_Boucher1.

This story was updated to add a video.