2023-10-22 07:36:00
The president of a progressive synagogue in Detroit, in the north of the United States, was found stabbed to death outside her home on Saturday, and police warned against speculation about the motive for the murder.
Samantha Woll, 40, chaired the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue and was close to local Democratic Party officials.
Called to the scene in a neighborhood of Detroit, a large city in Michigan, police officers and doctors discovered that a person “was lying on the ground, unconscious” before being “declared dead on the spot”, noted the local police in a statement.
“On the spot, police officers noticed a trail of blood which led them to the victim’s home where the crime apparently was committed,” continued the city’s police.
The first “examinations on the victim’s body revealed multiple knife wounds and the investigation was thus entrusted to the criminal brigade for homicide”, added the police, specifying that “the motive for this murder remained unknown”.
James White, head of the local police, urged everyone to “remain patient”, despite “many unanswered questions”, while the investigation takes place.
“It is important that no conclusions are drawn before all available (elements) have been reviewed,” White said in a statement.
The local section of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) “will assist the Detroit police,” the FBI told AFP in a statement sent by email.
The synagogue chaired by Ms. Woll declared itself on its Facebook page “in shock and saddened to learn of the sudden death” of the president of its board of directors.
According to the daily Detroit Free Press, Ms. Woll had been at the head of the place of worship since 2022, had previously worked for Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and worked for the re-election campaign of Michigan Attorney Dana Nessel, a Democrat like Ms. Woll .
Ms. Nessel spoke personally to X, saying she was “shocked, saddened and horrified by the violent murder of Sam.”
“Sam really relied on his faith and his activism to create a better living space for everyone,” praised the prosecutor.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said he was “devastated” by Woll’s death.
“Just a few weeks ago, I shared a happy day with Sam at (a ceremony at the) newly renovated Downtown Synagogue,” Mr. Duggan wrote on she had driven with success, great pride and enthusiasm,” added the elected official.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Woll was a member of a local organization aimed at connecting young Jews and young Muslims.
The United States, particularly New York, is shaken by demonstrations, tensions and some reported violence between Jewish and Muslim groups, fueled by the war in the Middle East between Hamas and Israel.
22/10/2023 07:33:59 – Detroit (United States) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
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