NEW YORK (AFP) – The politically active leader of a synagogue in Detroit, United States (US) was found dead with stab wounds outside her home, and police said the motive of the slaying was not known.
The killing came at a moment of escalating tensions in Jewish and Muslim communities across the United States over the Israel-Hamas conflict that has taken thousands of lives this month.
The victim of the murder, Samantha Woll, 40, presided over the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in Detroit.
“Emergency personnel found Woll dead with multiple stab wounds to her body,” Detroit police said in a statement.
A trail of blood led officers to Woll’s nearby home, “which is where the crime is believed to have occurred. “At this time, the motive for the killing is unknown.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the unexpected death of Samantha Woll, our Board President,” the synagogue posted on its Facebook page. “At this point we do not have more information.”
Woll was active in Democratic Party affairs, working for US congresswoman Elise Slotkin and on the campaign of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, the Detroit Free Press said.
“I am shocked, saddened and horrified to learn of Sam’s brutal murder. Sam was as kind a person as I’ve ever known,” Nessel posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Slotkin, who served as a Central Intelligence Agency officer before entering Congress, said Woll sought to build understanding across faiths, bringing light in the face of darkness. The Free Press said Woll had been active in a grassroots organisation aimed at bridging ties between young Muslims and Jews.
