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US charges man who sold gun used in synagogue hostage crisis
The US Justice Department has filed criminal charges against a man for allegedly selling the gun that Malik Faisal Akram later used to take hostages earlier this month at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. Henry "Michael" Williams, 32, has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, the US Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Texas announced Wednesday. Williams, who was previously convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and attempted possession of a controlled substance, sold Akram the semiautomatic Taurus G2C pistol on Jan. 13, according to prosecutors. Two days later, Akram brought the pistol to Congregation Beth Israel during Saturday morning prayers, where he held four people, including the rabbi, hostage for nearly 11 hours. The first hostage was released around 5 p.m. The other three broke free unharmed when Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker threw a chair at Akram to distract him and fled out a side door. Interviewed by the FBI days later, after his arrest on an outstanding state warrant, Williams identified a photo of Akram and affirmed he had made the firearm sale for $150. The pistol was found inside the synagogue after FBI agents breached the building on Jan. 15, killing Akram in the process. The FBI is investigating the hostage situation as both terrorism and a hate crime.
"After viewing a photo of Mr. Akram, Mr. Williams confirmed he sold Mr. Akram the handgun at an intersection in South Dallas," the Justice Department continued. "Analysis of both men’s cellphone records showed that the two phones were in close proximity on January 13."
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