Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, was drove through a hallway at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township near Detroit, Michigan on Thursday, March 12. Ghazali, who was armed, was fatally shot by security officers. His vehicle that then caught fire, authorities said.
Ghazali was a naturalized citizen born in Lebanon, according to federal officials.
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He came to the US in 2011 on an immediate relative visa as the spouse of a US citizen and was granted citizenship in 2016, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Jennifer Runyan, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office, said the crime was a « targeted act of violence against the Jewish community ». She said at a news conference that the FBI is leading the investigation.
Investigators have not yet determined a motive.
None of the synagogue’s staff, teachers or the 140 children at its early childhood center, who are as young as four, were injured. One security officer was hit by the vehicle and knocked unconscious but did not suffer life-threatening injuries
In the minutes after the attack, smoke billowed from the synagogue. It is understood that 30 law enforcement officers were treated for smoke inhalation.
The suspect was found dead inside his vehicle.
Cassi Cohen, director of strategic development at Temple Israel, was standing at the hallway where the crash happened.
She said she heard a loud bang, grabbed a few staff members, ran into her office and locked the door.
“Thankfully, we have had many active shooter drills and our staff is prepared for these situations,” she said.
Synagogues around the world have been on edge and have been ramping up security since the US and Israel carried out joint strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran has retaliated with force, plunging the region into conflict.
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