Police Ramp Up Patrols Around Southland Synagogues

LOS ANGELES, CA — Police around Los Angeles County are monitoring safety around local Jewish houses of worship following a hostage situation targeting worshippers at a synagogue in Texas Saturday.

Police in Beverly Hills and the Los Angeles Police Department announced plans to increase patrols around Jewish houses of worship Saturday. No threats were reported in Southern California, but news of the hostage standoff put many people of faith on edge Saturday.

"We're closely following a hostage situation that is taking place at a synagogue in Colleyville, TX," the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted Saturday afternoon. "We're working with our federal partners, increasing patrols around synagogues in LA as a precautionary measure, and conducting community outreach to ensure the safety of Angelenos."

The city of Beverly Hills also reported that the Beverly Hills Police Department is increasing patrols out of an abundance of caution.

At least four people, including a rabbi, were taken hostage Saturday at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, outside the Dallas/Fort Worth area, according to multiple reports. A suspect, claiming to have hidden multiple bombs, is demanding the release of a known terrorist, Aafia Siddiqui, from a women's Fort Worth prison, ABC News reported.

The FBI's crisis negotiating team was on the scene.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report