Law enforcement remain on site at the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, on March 12, 2026, after an assailant drove a vehicle into the building. (Credit: Jeff Kowalsky / AFP)
A man died Thursday after attacking a synagogue in West Bloomfield, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, as a large-scale law enforcement operation was underway.
While multiple media outlets initially reported his death, it was later confirmed by Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
Sheriff Bouchard also said a security officer was injured. The officer was taken to a hospital and “is expected to be okay,” he said, speaking to reporters outside Temple Israel, the synagogue surrounded by police and emergency vehicles.
According to the sheriff, the suspect drove a vehicle into the building alone. Security officers fired on him as he attempted to enter. Bouchard added, however, that authorities “cannot say at this stage what killed” the suspect.
Fox News and CNN had initially reported that the vehicle belonged to a man of Lebanese origin.
On Thursday evening, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security identified the driver as Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old Lebanese-born man who became a U.S. citizen in 2016.
According to residents, Ghazali acted in retaliation for the deaths of his brothers, Qassem and Ibrahim Ghazali, who were killed in an Israeli strike on Mashghara, in the West Bekaa, on March 5. One resident, who knew the victims, told L’Orient Today on Friday: “In Mashghara, Ayman is considered a hero. No one sees this as terrorism.”
A local resident of Mashghara, Ghazali’s hometown and the site of the strike, who knew members of his family before they were killed, told L’Orient Today on Friday, “Ayman is being hailed as a hero in his hometown. No one sees it as terrorism.”
Smoke was still rising from the building as television footage aired, and explosive-detecting dogs and bomb disposal teams were deployed on site.
The sheriff said this was a “precautionary measure” and added: “At this time, we have no indication of any explosives. So we want people to take a deep breath. Security did their job, and the emergency teams did theirs.”
Earlier, Bouchard told the media that authorities had been anticipating such an incident “for two weeks,” in reference to the U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran that began on Feb. 28.
The FBI, federal police, and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were also on the scene. The state police issued an alert on X at 12:30 p.m. local time.
A community in shock
Temple Israel is the largest synagogue of the Reform movement in the U.S., the country’s main Jewish denomination, known for its modern, inclusive, and liberal approach.
The Jewish Federation of Detroit said local Jewish community centers were placed on precautionary lockdown. “We ask community members to stay clear of the area for now,” it said. Patrols have also been increased around schools and places of worship, according to state and city police.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer called the attack “heartbreaking,” adding: “The Jewish community in Michigan must be able to live and practice their faith in peace. Antisemitism and violence have no place here.”
Justice Secretary Pam Bondi also called on people to “pray” via social media, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said he was “shocked” and posted: “Antisemitism must never be allowed to show its ugly face.”
Antisemitic incidents and attacks have increased in recent years in the U.S. In May 2025, a shooter opened fire outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, killing two embassy staff members from Israel.
