An armed man who drove a truck into a synagogue in suburban Detroit, United States, while more than 100 preschool children were inside has been killed after a confrontation with security guards, authorities say.
Officials said the suspect, identified by the US Department of Homeland Security as 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a Lebanese-born naturalised US citizen, had been armed with a rifle when he drove into the building.
Investigators are still working to determine how he died, as the vehicle burst into flames during the incident.
US President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the incident and expressed support for the Jewish community in the Detroit area.
I want to send our love to the Michigan Jewish community and all of the people in Detroit, Detroit area, following the attack on the Jewish synagogue earlier today. I’ve been fully briefed — and it’s a terrible thing…We’re going to be right down to the bottom of it.”
It is reported that the vehicle smashed through the entrance of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, on Thursday afternoon and travelled down a hallway before catching fire, according to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.
Security personnel at the synagogue opened fire on the suspect, who was later found dead inside the burning vehicle.
No children or staff were injured during the attack, despite 140 students being present at the synagogue’s early childhood centre at the time. One security guard was struck by the vehicle and briefly knocked unconscious but is expected to recover.
Sheriff Bouchard told reporters the truck swerved past bollards before crashing through the synagogue’s doors and continuing down a corridor. From video footage reviewed by investigators, he said the driver appeared to be moving deliberately through the building.
Authorities also searched the vehicle and synagogue for explosives or incendiary materials. Law enforcement sources said fireworks and other potentially dangerous materials were found in the truck, and some reports suggested a larger cache of explosives may have been present.
The fire that followed the crash engulfed parts of the building and sent smoke billowing through the complex. About 30 police officers were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation while responding to the blaze.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was treating the incident as a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community. A motive has not yet been confirmed.
Temple Israel, one of the largest Reform synagogues in the United States with about 12,000 congregants, said all children and staff from its preschool were safely evacuated.
Students were moved to a nearby reunification site where anxious parents gathered as the situation unfolded.
Parents said they received messages from teachers shortly after the attack confirming that the children were safe. Allison Jacobs, whose young daughter attends the centre, said she was shocked when she first heard about the incident but quickly learned the children were unharmed.
Local community members described scenes of panic outside the synagogue as families rushed to check on relatives before being reassured that everyone inside had been accounted for.
Officials said security measures at Jewish institutions in the area had already been heightened amid tensions in the Middle East and a rise in antisemitic incidents in recent years.
Michigan Attorney-General Dana Nessel condemned the attack, saying antisemitism had no place in the state and urging communities to stand together against hate.
Authorities from local police, federal agencies and the FBI are continuing to investigate the attack and the circumstances leading up to it.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
