A driver who rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, on Thursday afternoon is dead. The suspect drove through the synagogue's doors and down a hallway before the vehicle caught fire.
Security guards at the synagogue opened fire as the suspect approached, engaging him inside. One guard, who was hit by the vehicle, sustained injuries but is expected to recover. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the incident as a "targeted act of violence against the Jewish community".
The suspect has been identified as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old naturalized US citizen born in Lebanon. Thirty police officers were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation due to the fire that engulfed the building.
Temple Israel, one of the largest reform Jewish synagogues in the US, also houses a preschool. Dozens of children were evacuated during the incident. Authorities have not yet confirmed the suspect's cause of death, noting the difficulty in determining it due to the vehicle fire, but confirmed security engaged the suspect with gunfire.
Law enforcement responded to the scene, with the FBI and state and local agencies investigating. The incident has heightened concerns within the local Jewish community, which has seen increased antisemitism in recent years.
West Bloomfield is a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, home to a significant Jewish population.