Turkish man who threatened Florida synagogue killed by police

Police shoot and kill Turkish national who reached for his gun when officers tried to confront him over bomb threats against Tallahassee synagogue, death threats against Governor Ron DeSantis.

By World Israel News Staff

A Turkish man was shot and killed in Gainesville, Florida, last week after officers attempted to place him under arrest over threats he made against a synagogue and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

On Thursday, Alachua County sheriff’s deputies approached 38-year-old Ali Bayhan with a warrant issued after Bayhan made bomb threats against Temple Israel in Tallahassee a day earlier and threatened various public figures, including Florida’s governor.

“Yeah, they suspended Tallahassee Temple Israel today,” Bayhan wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. “I will destroy it until they apologize and pay punishment, besides other things.”

An Alachua County judge later issued an involuntary mental health assessment for Bayhan over the threats.

“We had received word from the courts — Alachua County courts — that an involuntary mental health evaluation had been issued,” Alachua County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Chris Sims said.

“It’s called an ex parte. We learned that an ex parte had been issued for Mr. Bayhan based on significant concerns by his family about his mental health.”

Sims added that a criminal investigation, initiated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, had also been launched against Bayhan, with a felony warrant issued.

When sheriff’s deputies, accompanied by a K-9 unit and federal marshals, attempted to serve Bayhan the warrant at his Gainesville home, Bayhan answered the door with a pistol on his person.

Authorities say Bayhan ignored instructions from law enforcement officials, prompting officers to attempt to use a police dog to subdue Bayhan.

However, Bayhan reached for his gun, at which point deputies opened fire, fatally wounding Bayhan.

No deputies or other law enforcement agents were injured in the confrontation.

A bomb squad was dispatched to Bayhan’s home after the shooting to examine an item with wires. The item was later found to contain no explosive material.