An 18-year-old woman from North Carolina and a 16-year-old from the Houston area have been arrested and charged with conspiring to attack a Jewish day school in Houston with the intent to kill as many Jews as possible by driving through the congregation, according to court documents and law enforcement statements released Thursday.
The alleged plot, which investigators say was uncovered after a tip to North Carolina authorities, targeted Congregation Beth Israel and its affiliated Shlenker School. Angelina Han Hicks of Lexington, N.C., was arrested Wednesday at her home and charged with two felony counts: conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon to kill or cause serious injury and conspiracy to commit murder. She is being held in Davidson County jail on a $10 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court on May 12.
According to warrants filed in North Carolina, Hicks conspired with two unidentified male subjects to carry out the attack on April 21, 2028 — a date more than two years in the future. However, Davidson County District Attorney Gary Frank told investigators the threat was being treated as potentially imminent, citing concerns that the plan could be accelerated despite the distant target date.
The juvenile suspect, whose identity has not been released, was arrested in Harris County by the Houston Police Department’s Major Offenders Division in coordination with the FBI and Alief ISD Police. That individual faces a charge of conspiracy to commit capital murder related to threats against Jewish institutions in the area. Authorities have not confirmed whether the juvenile is one of the two male subjects named in Hicks’ warrants, which only listed first names and marked last names as unknown.
Evidence gathered during a search of Hicks’ residence indicated she and others were planning a mass-casualty event at the synagogue. The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office said the findings showed clear intent to target members of the Jewish community. In response to the threat, leadership at Congregation Beth Israel and The Shlenker School closed their facilities for the day on Wednesday after being notified by the Houston Police Department, though other Jewish institutions in the area were advised they could remain open with increased patrols.
For more on this story, see Three Teens Arrested for Attempted Murder in Strasbourg.
FBI officials in Charlotte emphasized the role of public vigilance in thwarting the plot, stating in a press release that the case exemplifies why individuals should report suspicious activity to law enforcement. They also acknowledged cooperation from FBI Houston, the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, and Jewish community networks across North Carolina, Texas, and nationally.
The arrests come amid heightened security at Jewish institutions worldwide following the outbreak of hostilities between the U.S. And Israel and Iran on February 28, 2026. A month prior to this incident, an armed man drove a pickup truck into a synagogue in the Detroit area, an attack that also raised alarms about targeted violence against Jewish worshippers.
Whereas court documents do not disclose a potential motive for the planned attack, investigators say the inquiry remains active and multi-jurisdictional, spanning North Carolina, Texas, and federal agencies. No additional credible threats have been identified at this time, according to a Houston Police Department statement released Thursday.
What charges are the suspects facing?
Angelina Han Hicks is charged with two felony counts in North Carolina: conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon to kill or cause serious injury, and conspiracy to commit murder. The juvenile suspect in Harris County is charged with conspiracy to commit capital murder related to threats against Jewish institutions in the Houston area.
Why was the synagogue and school closed?
Leadership at Congregation Beth Israel and The Shlenker School decided to close their facilities for the day on Wednesday after being notified by the Houston Police Department of credible threats against them, though authorities advised other Jewish institutions in the area could remain open with increased security patrols.
Is there any indication of a broader network or additional suspects?
Investigators have not confirmed whether the juvenile arrested in Houston is one of the two unidentified male subjects referenced in Hicks’ warrants, which only listed first names and marked last names as unknown. The FBI and local authorities say the investigation is ongoing and multi-state in scope, but no additional arrests have been announced.
