Suspected Bomber Described as 'Innocent Old Soul'

Ron Hirsch appeared to be an "innocent old soul," said one man who saw him arrested Monday night by Cleveland Heights Police and the FBI. 

The synagogue bombing suspect was arrested around 6 p.m. at the Agudath Israel, Kollel Torah L.I.F.E. building at 1861 South Taylor Rd. in Cleveland Heights, said Jerry Elliot, a local resident who witnessed the arrest. 

Elliot thought Hirsch was just studying at the all-ages Jewish study center, as everyone else was, and the only indication that he was not a regular member was the fact he was wearing "beach clothes." Most men who attend the kollel wear a suit.

Hirsch was arrested outside in the back of the building, Elliot said, and did not put up a fight. Elliot said it was "nothing exciting" and did not believe that Hirsch had "evil intentions" for the building in particular. 

Apparently, Hirsch arrived Sunday, Elliot said, and the Jewish community put him up. Hirsch came back Monday.

"When somebody's coming through town, and they need a place to stay just for a night or two … the community will put them up," Elliot said. 

Authorities have been pursuing Hirsch since Friday, when authorities announced he had been linked to Thursday's explosion. No one was injured in the incident, and the motive behind it is still unclear.

"The individual in custody was arrested following a call to law enforcement by a concerned citizen who had come into contact with [the] man believed to be Hirsch," FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller told Patch. 

Hirsch, 60, bought a Greyhound bus ticket under the name J. Fisher, one of his known aliases, according to authorities. The bus left Los Angeles on Thursday and was scheduled to arrive in New York on Sunday, making 10 stops along the way.

On Monday, the FBI released surveillance video showing Hirsch at a Greyhound station in Denver on Friday at 8:19 p.m. It is still unclear how he traveled from Colorado to Ohio.

Story first appeared on Cleveland Heights Patch.