cnn's ed lavandera on the scene for us in texas. you've been there for hour upon hour. erence we heard with the local police and the fbi. give us a sense of what we learned from that. >> reporter: well, as you mentioned we learned the suspect is dead. law enforcement says they know the identity of the person. there's been a great deal of confusion throughout the course of the day as to who exactly this suspect is and this hostage taker is, but law enforcement here saying they are not ready to announce who the person is as they continue investigative work. and that work now into the overnight hours will include going through what was essentially a crime scene inside the synagogue where all of this unfolded about two hours ago. and the shootout that started with a loud bang and then from our distance which is just about a quarter mile away, we heard that rapid fire of gun -- rapid gunfire, and that alerted us to the fact all of this was quickly starting to develop. law enforcement says they are not going to divulge the identity of the suspect, and they credited the tireles

let me bring in my colleague ed lavandera who's on the ground in colleyville. let's begin with the good news tonight, this one hostage, a man who's been released apparently physically unharmed. >> reporter: that is the news we're hearing from colleyville police this evening as we're approaching almost 9 hours of this hostage situation continuing to unfold here. it was just after 9:00 central time we were told one of it hostages was allowed to leave the synagogue. we were told that person is un unharmed, does not need medical attention and the last statement said that gentleman was in the process of being renewitted with his family. that comes as incredibly welcome news because everything we're hearing from members of this congregation here in colleyville is that watching all of this unfold over the course of the day has been excruciating, painful and just harrowing to watch as they wait for any semblance of good news. so the welcome news one person has been released from the synagogue, but there are still three others including the rabbi of the synagogue that r

joining us now is ed lavandera. he's at the scene. you've got tons of experience covering situations like this. just an awful situation. what can you tell us from what you're seeing on the ground ther there? >> we are at the staging area a little more than a quarter mile away from the synagogue. this is just to kind of give people a sense of the atmosphere here. this is a small synagogue in a residential area. we are actually working out of the the parking lot of a large catholic church just down the road. as we've been reporting the last several hours, obviously law enforcement has much of the area locked down. that media around the synagogue, but i was just able to speak with one of the members, one member of this synagogue and she tells me this is a synagogue maybe about 140 to 150 families. no too far away from dallas-fort worth international airport and she really described to me just a harrowing sense of what it was like for the many of these who were watching the live stream of the sabbath services. this congregant says because

let's go to cnn's ed lavandera in plano, texas, just outside dallas, where the leader of the oath keepers just appeared in court. ed, you were able to watch this hearing. walk us through what happened. >> well, it was a brief hearing. stewart rhodes showing up in a dark t-shirt and jeans before the judge. he waived his right to have the 48-page indictment read out loud in the courtroom, but attorneys for stewart rhodes say right now they are focused on getting him out of jail while he awaits trial. the judge has announced next thursday they'll hold a detention hearing where they can present evidence to determine whether or not stewart rhodes will be held in jail and confined until his trial. he's facing five federal criminal counts, including that charge of seditious conspiracy. all of these face up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted. rhodes appeared very calm, kind of unfazed by everything that was going on. even as he was standing there in the courtroom shackled in handcuffs today. >> ed lavandera, thank you. >> joining us, george conway, husband of kellyanne conway, counselor to

we're going to start first with the very latest with ed lavandera who is in colleyville, texas. ed, what more do we know about the suspect and also the motive for taking these hostages? >> reporter: well, right now the law enforcement agents continue to work at the crime scene here at the synagogue which we now have a much clearer vantage point of after this nearly 11-hour hostage situation that unfolded here yesterday afternoon. the four hostages released physically unharmed. we understand that they are spending the day with the family. we heard from the rabbi charlie cytron-walker who says he's been through quite the ordeal. in a facebook post he offered his thanks and appreciation to you will at prayers and vigils for him and the other hostages, also thanked direct lit law enforcement agents and first responders who saved them and he ended his facebook post by saying i'm grateful we made it out. i'm grateful to be alive so quite the ordeal especially when you consider that the first hour or so of this hostage situation was livestreamed so many of the members of this synagogue

>> all right, ed lavandera, just some dramatic details there.hank you very much. >>> and this just in, the brother of the suspect has put out a statement on facebook saying, quote, and we can show this to you, we are absolutely devastated as a family, we as a family do not condone any of his actions and would like to sincerely apologize wholeheartedly to all the victims involved in the unfortunate incident. my brother was suffering from mental health issues. and sources tell cnn the suspect was inspired by his desire to free a federal prisoner named aafia siddiqui, who is currently serving an 80-year sentence in texas after being arrested. while most americans have never heard her name before, experts say she is an icon among islamic terrorists. joining me now is the person who led the prosecution against aafia siddiqui, cnn legal ana analyst preet bharara. >> she's been in prison for over 12 years. her trial was 12 years ago almost to the week. her case began when she was a person who was suspected of having terrorist ties. she was radicalized

our ed lavandera is on the ground in texas. and ed, there's been a significant development.e, texas, say that one hostage has been released from the synagogue and that that was a person who came out and is in the process of being reunited with his family. the police also say that the gentleman does not need medical attention, that he was unhurt. major news here developing now. one hostage released. now we understand that we believe there are three hostages still inside, including the rabbi of the synagogue, but the breaking news here just now is that one hostage released and this comes as welcome news, as so many members of this congregation have been watching desperately for more than seven hours now, almost eight hours, hoping for any sliver of good news to emerge from inside this synagogue. this, at least for the time being, the best news they've heard throughout much of the day. poppy? >> a huge relief for, i believe it's a male, right, ed, who was released a little over an hour ago. a huge relief for his family and such good news that he's uninjured. i know it's early,

our ed lavandera is there. ed, what's going on? >> reporter: hey, anderson. well, just moments from now, this service for healing and resilience is expected to get under way. as you mentioned, at this methodist church, just a few miles away from the synagogue where the hostage ordeal took place over the weekend. that is because the synagogue is still essentially a crime scene, and investigators are still come comb through that area. but tonight, the members of this congregation that have been separated because of the covid pandemic are coming together in large numbers. even as we are hearing from the hostages, and hearing some dramatic stories of what their ordeal was like. the final moments capturing three hostages escaping from the beth israel synagogue was captured by a photojournalist with cnn affiliate wfaa. the hostages race out a side door. the hostage taker briefly appears, pointing his firearm in their direction. the fbi hostage rescue team surrounding the synagogue moves in. an explosive device detonates and gunfire rips through the air. the man in

cnn's ed lavandera has the details. >> reporter: stewart rhodes appeared calm and unfazed during histial appearance in federal court friday here in pl plano, texas. rhodes and ten other members of the right wing group the oath keepers face criminal charges for actions during the january 6th insurrection. rodes and others face federal conspiracy charges, rhodes and other members of the oath keepers were plotting to oppose forcefully the peaceful transition of presidential power. in court documents, prosecutors lay out extraordinary detail that we really haven't heard about the january 6th insurrection. including details that rhodes and others got a cachet of weaponry. that rhodes brought teams stationed in a hotel room across from the potomac river in northern virginia with that weaponry. rhodes himself was inside the capitol. and prosecutors also say that they have communications that rhodes had with other both keeper members where he said we will have to do a bloody -- massively bloody revolution against them. that's what's going to have to happen. we aren't going through this witho

as ed lavandera reports, we're learning new details about when the suspect arrived in the u.s.e attack. >> reporter: the final moments capturing the escape of the hostages from inside the beth israel synagogue was captured by a photo journalist with cnn affiliate wfaa. the hostages are seen racing out a side door. the hostage taker briefly appears, pointing his firearm in their direction. the fbi hostage rescue team, which arrived at the scene just hours earlier moves in. an explosive device detonates and gunfire rips through the air. shortly after, it's announced the hostages were safe and alive. the hostage taker dead. rabbi charlie cytro-walker says the situation was quickly deteriorating. >> the last hour or so of the standoff he wasn't getting what he wanted. i asked -- made sure that the two gentlemen who were still with me, that they were -- that they were ready to go. the exit wasn't too far away. i told them to go. i threw a chair at the gunman. and i headed for the door. and all three of us were able to get out without even a shot being fired. >> law enforcement offic

cnn's ed lavandera was there in colleyville when the hostage rescue began.>> reporter: nearly 11 hours after a suspect entered the beth israel synagogue here in colleyville, texas, we have learned that the suspect is dead and that all four of the hostages are alive and well. one of the hostages had been released earlier in the day around 5:00 central time, but law enforcement officials say they have identified the suspect, but they are not ready to announce who that person is as they continue their investigation into the motives behind this attack on this synagogue. it was a frightening and harrowing day for members of this synagogue, which is a small synagogue here in colleyville, about 150 members. they were watching desperately and frantically throughout the day waiting for and praying for this outcome that they saw unfold here this evening. many members of the congregation that we spoke with say that members had not been attending the services here at the synagogue because of covid pandemic restrictions, that it was -- most people were at home watching o

ed lavandera has the story for you. >> reporter: the final moments capturing three hostages escapinge beth israel synagogue was captured by a photo journalist with cnn affiliate wfaa. the hostages race out a side door. the hostage taker briefly appears pointing his firearm in their direction. the fbi hostage rescue team surrounding the synagogue moves in. an explosive device detonates and gunfire rips through the air. the man in the blue shirt escaping from the synagogue is jeffrey cohen, nearly 11 hours earlier, cohen and rabbi charlie cytron-walker welcomed the stranger who held them hostage to the sabbath service. >> right before the service began, and i got in, rabbi charlie pointed this guy out to me and i went over to say hello, to welcome him. >> reporter: rabbi cytron-walker said the hostage ordeal started shortly after the service started and was being live streamed to congregants. >> it was during prayer, while we were praying, and my back was turned. we faced towards jerusalem when we pray. right before he revealed himself. but this was plenty of time in. i heard a click.

cnn's ed lavandera was there as all of this unfolded and filed this report a little earlier. >> reporter: nearly 11 hours after a suspect entered the beth israel synagogue here in colleyville, texas, we have learned the suspect is dead and that all four of the hostages are alive and well. one of the hostages had been released earlier in the day around 5:00 central time. but law enforcement officials say they have identified the suspect, but they are not ready to announce who that person is as they continue their investigation into the motives behind this attack on this synagogue. it was a frightening and harrowing day for the members of this synagogue, which is a small synagogue here in colleyville, about 150 members. they were watching desperately and frantically throughout the day, waiting for and praying for this outcome they saw unfold here this evening. many members of the congregation we spoke with say that members had not been attending the services here at this synagogue because of covid pandemic restrictions, that it was -- most people were at home watching on the livestream, an

ed lavandera, appreciate it. more now on who the defendant is, how his group came to be, and what more mr. rhodes, himself, openly said he had in mind for washington. cnn's drew griffin as that. >> oath keeper, leader, and founderings stuart rhodes spent nearly a year publicly denying he had anything to do with the violence on january 6th. >> there were no plans by the leadership -- us -- to enter the capitol. no instructions by us to do so. we didn't even know that any of our guys had done it, until afterwards. >> reporter: but this indictment tells a different story. accusing rhodes of seditious conspiracy, a complex, months-long plan for a massively bloody revolution if joe biden took office. prosecutors allege oath keepers prepared for battle, at rhodes' direction. rhodes, purchasing thousands of dollars in guns and tactical equipment. others setting up an armed quick-reaction force. and communicating as they stormed the capitol. >> you are executing citizens' arrests. arrest this assembly. we have probable c

a small synagogue in the suburbs, as ed lavandera was saying. it just doesn't sound like it was particularly well thought out. and i guess that points to the difficulty of stopping such things as well. >> yeah. and also to the fear. i mean, in other words, you do things in your life that you know are sort of higher-profile, right? you go to a big super bowl, there's some expectation that you might be increasing your vulnerability. but you join a small synagogue in the suburbs in texas with 100 members or families, and it's that vulnerability that terror actually sort of breeds off of. that you're not -- as a jew ish american, you're not safe anywhere. we hear this throughout the jewish community. i work with synagogues in terms of safety and security, in terms of ensuring that they are safer. and the challenge or the horror of this for the community and those i speak to, and i and my children are jewish, is synagogues are meant to be open, right? most religious institutions are. they want people of their own faith to feel welcome, but they also

>> ed lavandera, thanks. >>> let's discuss this with cnn legal analyst and former justice departmentattorney carrie cordero. this investigation has gone international. cnn has learned the suspect was known to british security services. had been the subject of an investigation in 2020, yet he was able to clear vetting and legally arrive in the u.s. is this a screening failure by the u.s.? >> well, i think, jake, that's going to be one of the big questions that u.s. investigators are going to have to evaluate. we have systems in place, primarily the entire infrastructure that was put in place in the post-9/11 era. we have a national counterterrorism center, a terrorist screening center run by the fbi and national vetting center run by the department of homeland security. these are the institutions that are supposed to catch things like this. i think that absolutely will be part of the review. it's one of the big questions that i have in terms of how this individual was permitted to enter the united states. >> british counterterrorism police say they've arrested two teenagers in connect

ed lavandera joins us this morning. eporter: good morning, john. well, you know, as we are approaching nearly two years of the coronavirus pandemic, there's no question, a sense of fatigue in wanting to move on is really settling in much across the country. so the question to colorado is, what the governor there is doing a good thing medically and politically. in the darkest days of the pandemic, daniel ramirez had to furlough 250 employees from his four mexican restaurants in denver, colorado. now, more than 300 employees are back on the payroll, and business is booming at a family-owned restaurant chain his father started 20 years ago. >> we had to learn how to understand and adapt to it. if we never learn how to adapt to it, i honestly think we still would have been stuck in 2020. >> thank you, everybody, for your work. >> reporter: ramirez and others credit this happening in colorado because of democratic governor jared polis, who has distanced himself from some democratic leaders across the country. governor polis i

more from cnn's ed lavandera. >> reporter: in the darkest days of the pandemic, daniel ramirez had torants in denver, colorado. but now, more than 300 employees are back on the payroll and business is booming at a family-owned restaurant chain, his father started 20 years ago. >> had to learn how to understand, adapt to it. with f if we didn't learn how to adapt to it, i think we would have been stuck in 2020. >> reporter: ramirez and others credit this happening in colorado because of democratic governor jared polis, who has distanced himself from some democratic leaders across the country. governor polis is leaving mask mandate orders up to local jurisdictions, and in a statement to cnn, a spokesperson says the governor is focused on fixing the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic, adding hospital capacity and covid testing. the governor, also, says promoting the covid-19 vaccine is key, and he says those who don't get vaccinated are responsible for what happens. >> everybody's had the chance to get vaccinated. and at this point, i think it's almost like it may be a deliberat

cnn's ed lavandera is on the scene in texas for us. dline. coordinating a tweet just sent out by the governor of texas, greg abbott, all of the hostages are out of the synagogue safe and alive. that tweeted just moments ago by the governor of texas. we have not heard that directly from law enforcement, the fbi, or authorities here on the ground. but i can tell you that about 25 minutes ago as we were sitting here in the parking lot, a little more than a quarter mile away from the synagogue, we heard a loud explosion and then shortly after a rapid series of gunfire that lasted just a short amount of time. after that, it has been quiet. and then now just hearing from the governor of texas saying that all of the hostages, the remaining three hostages have been released. they are safe and alive. we do not know the condition of the suspect in this case or what exactly has happened or if any of the law enforcement agents that were on the ground presumably entering the synagogue. we don't know what kind of condition they may be in. all of this

more from ed lavandera who was in texas today in plano, texas. what happened in court? >> stewart rhodes, the leader of the oath keepers made his initial appearance here in plano, texas, not for from where he was arrested in little elm. he appeared calm and unfazed about everything going on. essentially it was a brief court aappearance. essentially what his attorneys are focused on is getting him out of jail. he remains in custody. there will be a detention hearing. rhodes has pleaded not guilty. that hearing has been scheduled for next thursday. there is no real comment on all of the details unleashed in this 49-page indictment by federal prosecutors where they essentially accuse him of plotting the forceful opposition of the peaceful transition of power. >> but what are rose's supporters and his ex-wife saying about all this? >> reporter: there were two friends of his and another lawyer with the oath keepers who showed up at the hearing today. we asked them about the text messages and the communications that rhodes had with several members of the oath keepers where he

. >> our ed lavandera there. now that the hostages are safe, they're moving to try to find out as much as they can about the suspect themselves. a cnn security analyst said earlier it appears the suspect was likely acting alone. >> it sounds so far to me from the news reports he was a loan wo lone wolf, didn't try to resist in any way we know about the hostage rescue. one person -- there probably was no other people involved and he didn't set up any traps for the hostage rescue team. he believes sediki was framed and was not guilty but this has been a conspiracy theory on the internet for a very long time. there's no truth to it. he was just motivated by -- i would guess he's probably an unstable person and certainly not part of a larger network. that could change. >> what he was referring to there is the fact that allegedly the suspect had asked for affia sediki, who is known as lady al qaeda, to be freed. >>> heavy snow, ice and rain. everything you need to know about this winter storm from the cnn weather cent

ed lavandera joins us. what happened? >> reporter: stewart rhodes saying he's not guilty. federal prosecutors laying out a 48-page indictment where they accuse him of forcefully plotting to stop the peaceful transition of presidential power. he faces five different charges, including seditious criminal conspiracy. saying he text messaged and organized a plot to bring weaponry into the d.c. area. sa saying we will have to do a massively bloody revolution against them. that's what is going to have to happen. also going on to say, we aren't going through this without a civil war. prepare your body, mind, and spirit. prosecutors say rhodes and his count counterparts had weapons stashed in a hotel room in northern virginia. but his attorneys say this is being overblown. >> they were quite fixated that trump would activate them. but they left that in virginia. if they were going to do this, they would have brought weapons into the capitol, and they didn't do that. >> after today's country appearance, rhodes remains in custody, being held in a jail in texas. his attorneys say the

we'll get the first with ed lavandera who is live with us in colleyville, texas. what more do we know about the suspect and also his motive for taking these hostages last night? >> reporter: well, law enforcement officials have said that the moist, at least the preliminary indkafgs all of this is that the suspect m ha li k faisal akram, was primarily focused on this jihadist who was -- who was imprisoned here in the north texas area by the name of aafia siddiqui, and that was the focusing of much of his discussions and the reason for taking the people at this synagogue hostage, but this afternoon law enforcement officials here still working at the scene of the synagogue where all of this unfolded. nearly an 11-hour hostage situation, and we're also hearing from pastor charlie crtron-walker -- sorry, rabbi charlie cytron-walker, taken hostage throughout much of the day. he posted this morning saying he's thankful and filled with appreciation for the vigils and prayers from around the world, and he's thankful to the law enforcement and first responders who saved him

. >> ed lavandera on the scene, thank you very much. >>> let's discuss what's going on with jeffrey cohen, one of the synagogue hostages. thank you so much for joining us. our hearts go out to you and your family and everyone else over there. what a horrific ordeal you went through. how are you doing, first of all, as you try to process this? >> thanks a lot, and i appreciate the thoughts and prayers that are coming our way. how am i doing? well, about as good as can be expected, i guess. you know, last night i got a full night's sleep, which is good because saturday i got basically none, and i'm eating and everything. but you know what, the emotion is just below the surface and it's always going to be there, or at least it will be there for a while. and the rest of us are doing okay, too. >> i know all this started, with your rabbi actually welcoming in the stranger when he showed up at the door, giving him a cup of tea. can you walk us through the moments you first realized that you were all being taken hostage? >> yeah, you know, right before the service began and i got in, rabbi point

more now from cnn's ed lavandera. >> it's breakfast time, buddy. >> breakfast with the stone family isth a side of chaos. >> kenneth, get off grandmother's sewing machine, please. >> getting their six school aged children out the door isn't easy. and on top of that, today, jan stone is starting a new job. substitute teacher. >> honestly, i don't know what i'm expecting. i am petrified. and excited at the same time. >> the latest covid-19 surge has caused extreme staffing shortages at school districts across the country. fighting to keep in-person classrooms open. >> where is ms. reed? >> i don't know where ms. reed is today. >> reporter: in hays county south of austin, so many teachers are sick with covid-19 or in quarantine, school district officials are asking parents to become substitute teachers. jan stone answered the call, and this morning, she's teaching second graders. >> good morning. how are you? i am mrs. stone. i'm going to be your substitute today. >> as you're sitting at home and watching this latest surge and teachers are calling in sick and staffing shortages, were you