Michigan synagogue attack being investigated by FBI as targeted act of violence against Jewish community

WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) – An attack at Temple Israel, a synagogue in West Bloomfield, is being investigated as a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.

Just after 12:15 p.m. Thursday, police began receiving calls about an active shooter at the synagogue, which also houses a learning center and was full of children at the time.

The backstory:

According to sources, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, was armed with a rifle when he crashed a truck into the building, hitting and knocking a security guard unconscious. Another security guard was able to shoot Ghazali, who was found dead inside his vehicle.

Authorities have not confirmed if Ghazali fired shots, but a high-level source told FOX 2 that they believe he did fire his weapon. 

The vehicle also caught fire, filling the building with smoke that led to some first responders suffering smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported.

Who is Ayman Ghazali?

Ghazali is from Dearborn Heights. Sources close to the investigation say the suspect is from Lebanon and that his family was killed in an airstrike over the weekend amid the war with Iran.

Dearborn Heights later confirmed, stating that he lost several members of his own family, including his niece and nephew, in an attack on their home in Lebanon.

Officials said Ghazali was born in Lebanon in 1985 and entered the US on May 10, 2011, on an IR1 immigrant visa as the spouse of a U.S. citizen.

FOX News reports that according to DHS, Ghazali applied for naturalization on Oct. 20, 2015 and became a U.S. citizen on Feb. 5, 2016.

Officials said the motivation behind the attack is still under investigation. 

What’s next:

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the FBI will have an update on Friday. 

What you can do:

The FBI has activated a digital media tip line for any witnesses who had photos or videos of the incident on Thursday. You can tap here to access their site. 

People can also call 1-800-CALL-FBI.