Chicago Man Charged for Threatening to 'Shoot Up' Synagogue

Authorities say the 31-year-old made anti-Semitic remarks on social media before his arrest in Florida.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 10:54am

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A 31-year-old Chicago man named Timothy Holmes has been charged with making an online threat to "shoot up" a Jewish synagogue. Investigators say Holmes posted the threat on X (formerly Twitter) in response to a message from the Israeli government's official account, and they later found additional threatening and derogatory posts about Jewish people from his account. Holmes was arrested in Florida and released on a $100,000 bond, with conditions including a ban on weapons possession, contacting victims or witnesses, and using social media.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing issue of anti-Semitism and threats of violence against the Jewish community, which have been a growing concern in recent years. Authorities are taking such threats seriously and using legal tools to combat criminal conduct fueled by hateful ideologies.

The details

According to the criminal complaint, on March 3 Holmes posted on X, "I'm going to shoot up a synagogue." The FBI's National Threat Operations Section received information about the threat, which was traced back to an account belonging to Holmes. Investigators later found additional posts from Holmes' account containing threatening language and derogatory remarks about Jewish people, as well as a post listing the purported U.S. address of relatives of an Israeli official.

  • On March 3, Holmes allegedly posted the threat to "shoot up a synagogue" on X.
  • On March 24, 2026, Holmes was arrested in Florida and appeared in federal court the same day.

The players

Timothy Holmes

A 31-year-old Chicago man who was charged with making an online threat to "shoot up" a Jewish synagogue.

Andrew S. Boutros

The U.S. Attorney in Chicago who stated that "anti-Semitism has no place in our society" and that the U.S. Attorney's Office is using legal tools to combat criminal conduct fueled by hateful ideologies.

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What they’re saying

“Anti-Semitism has no place in our society. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago is using all available legal tools to combat criminal conduct that rears its head in hateful anti-Semitism. This Administration has made clear that threats and violence against the Jewish community will not be tolerated.”

— Andrew S. Boutros, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Illinois

What’s next

A date for Holmes' appearance in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.

The takeaway

This case underscores the continued need for vigilance and action against anti-Semitism and threats of violence targeting the Jewish community. Authorities are demonstrating a commitment to using the full force of the law to address such hateful and criminal conduct.