In the particularly tense context of events in the Middle East, the American police wanted to warn against any speculation as to the motive for a murder in Michigan. The president of a progressive synagogue in Detroit was found stabbed to death in front of her home on Saturday.
Samantha Woll, 40, chaired the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue and was close to local Democratic Party officials. Called to the scene, police officers and doctors discovered that a person “was lying on the ground, unconscious” before being “declared dead on the spot”, noted the local police.
The FBI participates in the investigation
“On site, police officers noticed a trail of blood which led them to the victim’s home where the crime apparently was committed,” said the city police. The first “examinations on the victim’s body revealed multiple knife wounds and the investigation was thus entrusted to the criminal brigade for homicide”, added the police, specifying that “the motive for this murder remained unknown “.
Local police chief James White urged everyone to “remain patient” despite “many unanswered questions” as the investigation takes place. “It is important that no conclusions are drawn before all available (elements) are considered,” he said. The local branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will “assist the Detroit Police Department,” the FBI said.
The synagogue declared itself on its Facebook page “in shock and saddened to learn of the sudden death” of the president of its board of directors.
According to the daily Detroit Free Press, Samantha Woll had been at the head of the place of worship since 2022, had previously worked for parliamentarian Elissa Slotkin and worked for the re-election campaign of Michigan prosecutor Dana Nessel, a Democrat like her. Dana Nessel spoke personally to X, saying she was “shocked, saddened and horrified by the violent murder of Sam.”
Detroit mayor says he is “devastated”
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said he was “devastated.” “Just a few weeks ago, I shared a happy day with Sam at (a ceremony at the) newly renovated Downtown Synagogue,” he wrote on X. “It was a project which she had led with success, great pride and enthusiasm,” added the elected official. Samantha Woll was also a member of a local organization aimed at forging links between young Jews and young Muslims.
The United States, particularly New York, is shaken by demonstrations, tensions and some reported violence between Jewish and Muslim groups, fueled by the war in the Middle East between Hamas and Israel.