A man who drove his vehicle into a synagogue in the U.S. state of Michigan on Thursday has died after the incident, authorities said.
According to Mike Bouchard, the suspect rammed his vehicle through the entrance of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield before driving along a corridor inside the building. The vehicle later caught fire.
Security guards at the synagogue opened fire as the driver approached and confronted him inside the building. One guard was struck by the vehicle and taken to hospital with injuries that authorities said were not life threatening.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was investigating the incident as a «targeted act of violence against the Jewish community».
The Department of Homeland Security identified the suspect as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41 year old naturalised U.S. citizen born in Lebanon who moved to the United States in 2011.
Fire and emergency response
Authorities said the building was engulfed in flames after the vehicle caught fire. About 30 police officers were taken to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.
Investigators are still working to determine what caused the fire and how the suspect died.
«We can’t say what killed him at this point,» Bouchard told reporters, noting that security personnel had fired at the suspect during the confrontation.
Police also checked the vehicle for explosives as a precaution.
Children evacuated from synagogue school
Temple Israel, one of the largest Reform Jewish congregations in the United States, also operates a preschool on site. Dozens of children were evacuated during the incident.
In a statement, the synagogue said all 140 students and staff members were safely moved to a nearby country club.
Members of the local community gathered outside the building as news of the incident spread. Some parents and grandparents arrived to confirm their children were safe.
Increased security amid rising threats
The attack comes at a time of heightened security at Jewish institutions across the United States following the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war and a rise in antisemitic incidents nationwide.
Temple Israel, founded in 1941, has around 3,500 member families and roughly 12,000 congregants. The suburb of West Bloomfield is part of the Detroit metropolitan area, which has one of the largest Jewish communities in the state.
Law enforcement agencies across Michigan increased patrols at Jewish institutions following the incident as the investigation continues.
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