TN Congressman Condemns Antisemitism Of Attempted School Shooter, Only To Find Suspect Is Jewish

Image Credit: Congressman Steve Cohen / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

Memphis police were dispatched to a Jewish school in Memphis on Monday afternoon when a would-be school shooter failed to gain entry to the school building and fired shots outside of the school instead. 

It has been reported that the individual fled the PreK-12 school property in a vehicle, but authorities found and stopped this vehicle. When the male suspect emerged from the vehicle with a handgun, the police shot him. 

The man was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and was still there as of Tuesday. 

Memphis PD declined to identify the suspect right away, but it has since been confirmed that the man was actually a former student of the Margolin Hebrew Academy-Feinstone Yeshiva of the South. 

According to a spokesperson for The Secure Community Network, which has been working with the Margolin Hebrew Academy through the Memphis Jewish Federation, the suspect is Jewish and his motivation was “personal in nature,” as opposed to a racially motivated act of violence. 

This contradicts the hate-crime narrative that had initially been circulating about the event and this is certainly not the first time left-leaning politicians have immediately jumped on the hate-crime bandwagon before knowing all the details of an event. 

U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-District 9) is one of these politicians.

On the day of the attempted shooting, Rep. Cohen’s office published a press release in which the Congressman ruminated on how sad the act of antisemitism truly was.

“I am shocked to know of this senseless incident and relieved at reports that no one at the school was injured,” stated Rep. Cohen. “Antisemitism is on the rise in this country. I am astonished and saddened that an apparent act of violent antisemitism has come to Memphis. We all need to be on our guard against antisemitism and white nationalism.”

Later on that same day, Rep. Cohen’s Office published a secondary press release with an updated statement in light of discovering that the attempted shooter was, in fact, Jewish himself.

“We have recently learned that the shooter at the Margolin Hebrew Academy was himself Jewish and a former student at the school,” Rep. Cohen said. “I am pleased the academy had effective security and that the police acted quickly to protect students.”

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.