A man allegedly made several violent threats against staff at Temple Israel in Minneapolis over the course of a month, but an investigation found that anger at security guards was the motive, rather than antisemitism.
Jaden Thomas LeBlanc, 21, of Minneapolis faces three counts of felony threats of violence and one misdemeanor count of fifth-degree assault over several threatening incidents at the synagogue near Lake of the Isles.
LeBlanc lives one block from Temple Israel at the Bridge Rita’s House, a homeless shelter for young people.
According to the charges:
On Sept. 9, LeBlanc was observed by security guards drinking a Modelo, which he smashed against a playground wall at Temple Israel. When they tried to get his attention, he flipped them off. He returned shortly thereafter and made a gun gesture at the security guards.
One day later, LeBlanc was again seen drinking from a glass bottle before throwing it on the ground in the Temple Israel parking lot. A security guard picked up the bottle and brought it to the homeless shelter where he found LeBlanc on the porch. The security guard told LeBlanc to put the bottle in the trash. LeBlanc then picked up the bottle and threw it at the security guard’s head. The security guard had to use pepper spray to get out of the area.
LeBlanc then called Temple Israel and made various threats to the receptionist saying he was “gonna shoot you up” and was “coming for you” among various other profanities. Shortly after that first call, another call was made by someone who was not LeBlanc. The caller was upset that “you ... pepper sprayed my brother.” He told the receptionist that he was getting a crew of people to come there and also said they were planning on “shooting you up.”
The syngogue was placed on lockdown after the calls and the Bridge Rita’s House was evacuated. Temple Israel staff told officers with the Minneapolis Police Department they did not believe the calls and threats were related to their faith.
