COLLEYVILLE, Texas — A law enforcement source confirmed to WFAA that they’ve been working with a homeless shelter in the Dallas area where Malik Faisal Akram stayed for a few days.
Authorities are diligently working this case and are trying to put all of the pieces together. And overnight, there were a lot of developments in the U.K., where police are questioning two teenagers who might be linked to the Colleyville synagogue standoff.
Authorities in the U.S. and in the U.K. are looking into the details surround Akram's arrival to the U.S.
“We were able to confirm that he traveled to the U.S. shortly after before the new year,” said Richard Hyde, the consulate general of the U.K..
Hyde says the chip in Akram’s passport helped authorities figure out his travel to and from the U.K.
“We travel with biometric data on our passport,” said Hyde.
Sources say Akram flew into John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York before the new year, and listed a hotel in Queens on a customs and immigration form as a local address.
Days later, Akram traveled to the Union Gospel Mission, a homeless shelter in Dallas.
An official from the shelter told WFAA that Akram arrived on Jan. 6, and left the day after
That official says Akram came back on Jan. 11, and left the day after. Then on Saturday, Jan. 15, Akram walked into the Colleyville synagogue and held four people hostage, including a rabbi.
The situation ended with all the hostages safe and Akram dead at the scene. It is still unclear how he died.
During the nearly 12-hour standoff, Hyde said, “They came to us for clarification, and the U.K. police, and the us are interconnected."
Then Sunday night, the Greater Manchester Police Department in the U.K. tweeted that they arrested two teenagers in connection with the Texas synagogue standoff.
“It’s quite common in cases like that this for arrests to be made in order to interview and gather information," Hyde said.
Hyde stresses not to speculate on the motive of the arrests.
While all four hostages made it out alive, Akram’s brother in the U.K. shared his thoughts, saying Akram had mental health issues.
“The family issued a heartfelt statement, and they talk about their shock,” said Hyde.
The FBI says they will be at the Colleyville synagogue for as long as they need to be. It’s unclear when the scene will wrap up.