A man drove a vehicle into a synagogue and opened fire on security personnel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, on Thursday afternoon before being killed at the scene, authorities confirmed. The suspect has been identified in multiple reports as Ayman Ghazaleh, a naturalized U.S. Citizen originally from Lebanon.
The incident occurred shortly after 12:30 p.m. At Temple Israel, near Walnut Lake Road and Drake Road. According to law enforcement, Ghazaleh drove a truck into the building, continuing into a hallway inside the facility. A member of the synagogue’s security team confronted the suspect and shots were fired. The vehicle subsequently caught fire, and Ghazaleh was pronounced dead at the scene.
One member of the synagogue’s security team was struck by the vehicle during the breach and transported to a hospital with injuries. As of Friday morning, that individual remains under medical care. Sheriff Michael Bouchard stated that no congregants, staff members, or children inside the synagogue were injured during the incident. Eight first responders were evaluated and treated for minor injuries at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital and Henry Ford Providence Novi Hospital.
Authorities are investigating the incident as a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community, though a definitive motive has not yet been determined. According to reporting from Drop Site News, Ghazaleh allegedly posted photos on WhatsApp overnight of family members, including children, who were recently killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese town of Mashghara. Sources cited in multiple reports indicate Ghazaleh was originally from Lebanon and resided in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.
The vehicle involved in the incident was registered to a naturalized U.S. Citizen originally from Lebanon who resides in Dearborn, according to law enforcement sources.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement on X following the shooting, stating, “Antisemitism knows no bounds or borders. Israel is attacked given that We see the Jewish state. The Temple of Israel in Detroit was attacked today because it is a Jewish place of worship.” He also praised the synagogue’s security personnel for their “swift intervention” and expressed gratitude to former President Trump for his “firm stance against antisemitic attacks in America.”
Law enforcement agencies have increased patrols and security presence at other Jewish institutions in the region as a precaution. Authorities have asked the public to avoid the area surrounding Temple Israel while investigators continue to process the scene.
