A suspect has died after driving a vehicle into Temple Israel, a large synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, on Thursday afternoon.
According to Mike Bouchard, the sheriff of Oakland County, the driver rammed the vehicle through the synagogue’s front doors and continued down a hallway before the car caught fire. Security guards at the synagogue confronted the suspect and opened fire as he approached. One guard who was struck by the vehicle was taken to hospital but is expected to recover.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the incident is being investigated as a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.
Authorities identified the suspect as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old naturalised U.S. citizen originally from Lebanon, who moved to the United States in 2011. Officials said it is still unclear exactly how he died because the vehicle caught fire during the incident.
The fire filled the synagogue with smoke, and around 30 police officers were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation while responding to the emergency.
Temple Israel also operates a preschool, and dozens of children were inside the building at the time. Staff quickly evacuated the students to a nearby location, and the synagogue later confirmed that all 140 students and staff members were safe.
Authorities are also checking the vehicle for possible explosives as a precaution while the investigation continues.
Speaking at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for the local Jewish community, calling the incident a terrible act.
Founded in 1941, Temple Israel serves about 12,000 congregants across roughly 3,500 families in the Detroit metropolitan area, which has one of the largest Jewish populations in the state. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing as they work to determine the motive behind the attack and what caused the fire.
