A targeted attack on a Michigan synagogue left one security guard injured and the suspect dead on Thursday, March 12, 2026, prompting an investigation by the FBI and raising concerns about rising antisemitism. The incident at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, a suburb of Detroit, underscores the vulnerability of Jewish communities and comes amid heightened global tensions.
Authorities identified the suspect as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old naturalized U.S. Citizen born in Lebanon who immigrated to the United States in 2011 and became a citizen in 2016. According to early reports, Ghazali drove a vehicle through the front doors of the synagogue, striking the security director and continuing down a hallway.
The synagogue’s security team responded with gunfire, and Ghazali was found deceased inside the vehicle. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the suspect died at the scene, though it remains unclear whether he was killed by the security guard or succumbed to other causes. The injured security director was hospitalized and is expected to recover.
FBI Investigates as Targeted Attack
The FBI is investigating the incident as a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community,” according to Jennifer Runyan, the special agent in charge of the Detroit Field Office. “It’s a tough time, but we will get through this,” said Steve Ingber, chief executive of the Jewish Federation of Detroit, adding that the community trains for such events.
Law enforcement officials responded to the scene after the vehicle crashed into the building and caught fire, with smoke visible from the temple. Thirty officers were treated for smoke inhalation. Synagogue staff and children in the attached daycare were safely evacuated during the incident.
The attack prompted increased security measures at Jewish facilities across the United States. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer wrote on X that the Jewish community should be able to practice their faith in peace. Attorney General Dana Nessel stated that antisemitism has no place in Michigan and will not be tolerated. The Jewish Federation of Detroit announced that its nearby facilities were placed on lockdown as a precaution.
The incident comes as security concerns are elevated in the U.S., following a separate shooting at a university in Virginia on Thursday where a suspect with ties to the Islamic State killed one person and injured others.
