Texas synagogue hostage crisis ends with gunman dead

FBI agents stormed a synagogue in north Texas, freeing three hostages and ending an hours-long standoff against a gunman on Saturday night.

Earlier in the day, the gunman disrupted a religious service at the Congregation Beth Israel, located in Colleyville, Texas.

Four people were taken hostage including the rabbi, though one was freed six hours into the crisis.

Colleyville police announced that the gunman was killed after the FBI raid.

Local media reported the sound of explosions and gunfire, shortly before Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Twitter that the crisis was over.

A U.S. official told ABC News that the man claimed to be the brother of a Pakistani neuroscientist, who was convicted in 2010 for shooting at soldiers and FBI agents and is serving an 86 year sentence.

The official told ABC News the suspect was demanding she be freed.

The FBI said they have confirmed the identity of the gunman, but said they would not yet disclose it.

They also declined to confirm the cause of his death, saying it was still under investigation.

One U.S. Muslim advocacy group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, condemned the hostage taker's actions, calling it an 'antisemitic attack' and an 'act of pure evil'.