A Lebanese-born U.S. citizen rammed a truck into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, on March 12, 2026, in a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community, according to the FBI. Synagogue security neutralized the suspect, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, who died inside the burning vehicle amid reports of explosives and a rifle. No congregants or 140 preschool students were harmed, though one guard was injured.
On March 12, 2026, around 1:35 p.m., Ayman Mohamad Ghazali drove a truck through the doors of Temple Israel, the largest Reform synagogue in the U.S., located in West Bloomfield Township, a suburb northwest of Detroit, and into a hallway. Security personnel engaged the suspect, who exited with a rifle; he was found dead inside the vehicle, which caught fire after mortar-type explosives ignited. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard noted security 'did their job,' but could not confirm the cause of death, mentioning possibilities like self-inflicted. One security staff member was hospitalized after being struck by the vehicle but is expected to recover; 30 officers were treated for smoke inhalation.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Ghazali, a Dearborn Heights resident and former restaurant worker who immigrated legally in 2011 via his American spouse and naturalized in 2016, had been distraught over a recent airstrike in his Lebanese village that killed two brothers and two nieces/nephews while injuring a sister-in-law. Divorced and living alone, he recently asked his ex-wife to care for their children, prompting her to alert authorities. Initial reports of a second suspect were not confirmed.
All 140 students at the synagogue's Susan and Harold Loss Early Childhood Center were safe, thanks in part to FBI Active Shooter Attack Prevention and Preparedness (ASAPP) training conducted six weeks earlier on January 30. The synagogue credited staff training for keeping children calm and thanked nearby Shenendoah Country Club for sheltering. Area schools locked down, Jewish organizations entered lockout protocol, and state police boosted patrols at religious sites.
FBI Director Kash Patel and the agency are leading the investigation, including a search of Ghazali's home, amid rising antisemitic incidents. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer called it 'every community's worst nightmare,' stating 'antisemitism and violence have no place in Michigan.' Attorney General Dana Nessel echoed that antisemitism 'cannot be tolerated.' President Trump deemed it 'a terrible thing,' pledging support and investigation. Israeli President Isaac Herzog offered solidarity. The Anti-Defamation League tracks increased attacks, including a May 2025 Washington shooting.
