Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, died after driving a pickup truck into Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, on Thursday, March 12. The vehicle breached the building's doors, became wedged in a hallway, and subsequently caught fire. Ghazali died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following an exchange of gunfire with synagogue security officers. One security guard was injured after being struck by the vehicle, and between 30 and 63 first responders were treated for smoke inhalation.
All 100 to 140 children and staff present in the synagogue's early childhood center were safely evacuated and unharmed.
Incident Overview
On Thursday, March 12, at approximately 12:15 p.m., a pickup truck driven by Ayman Mohamad Ghazali rammed through the front doors of Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield Township. The vehicle, which had been in the synagogue's parking lot since around 10 a.m., entered the building and became stuck in a hallway. Gunfire ensued, and the truck's engine compartment caught fire, emitting thick black smoke.
Ghazali was found deceased inside the vehicle, with investigators later determining he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head after exchanging fire with security personnel. A security guard sustained non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by the vehicle and briefly losing consciousness; the guard was hospitalized and is expected to recover. Between 30 and 63 first responders received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Over 100 children, aged five and younger, along with staff and teachers present in the synagogue's early childhood center, were safely evacuated and reported unharmed.
Attack Details
After ramming the doors, the truck moved down a hallway before becoming wedged. Ghazali reportedly began firing through the windshield, and security officers returned fire through the rear and front of the vehicle.
Inside the truck, investigators discovered large quantities of commercial-grade fireworks and containers of flammable liquid, believed to be gasoline. Some of these items were consumed by the fire. Evidence, including video footage, shows Ghazali purchased over $2,250 worth of fireworks two days prior to the incident, on March 10, from a Phantom Fireworks showroom in Livonia, Michigan. He made two separate purchases, totaling 20 items, which included various firecrackers, aerial repeaters, and products with names like ‘Military Demolitions’ and ‘Da Bomb.’
Temple Israel staff and teachers initiated shelter-in-place procedures and safely evacuated the children, distracting them with songs.
The synagogue, a large Reform Jewish institution established in 1941 with approximately 12,000 members, had maintained heightened security measures for several years due to rising antisemitic threats and had received "Active Shooter Attack Prevention and Preparedness (ASAPP) training" in late January.
Assailant Background and Potential Motive
Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, was a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Lebanon. He arrived in the U.S. in May 2011 on a spousal visa, his immigrant visa having been approved in April 2010, and became a citizen in February 2016. He resided in Dearborn Heights and worked at a Middle Eastern restaurant. He was divorced, and his children resided with their mother in the U.S. He reportedly called his ex-wife shortly before the attack, telling her to care for their children. Ghazali had no prior criminal history, no registered weapons, and had not been the subject of any previous FBI investigations.
Law enforcement officials noted Ghazali appeared in federal government databases with connections to individuals associated with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and his phone contacts in 2019 reportedly included known or suspected Hezbollah members.
A key focus of the investigation is a potential motive linked to recent family losses. One week before the attack, on March 5, Ghazali's two brothers, Kassim and Ibrahim Ghazali, along with Ibrahim's children, Ali and Fatima, were reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike in Mashghara, Lebanon. His parents and brothers’ wives were reportedly injured in the same incident, with Ibrahim's wife seriously wounded. The Israeli military identified Ibrahim Ghazali as a Hezbollah commander responsible for weapons operations within the Badr Unit, a claim a Hezbollah official neither confirmed nor denied but stated Ayman's attack was in response to the family loss. Ghazali reportedly attended a memorial for his family on March 8.
Locals in Mashghara, Ghazali's hometown, remember him as a kind individual and believe the attack was an act of revenge.
Sources indicated Ghazali became withdrawn and stopped working after these losses.
Response and Investigation
The FBI has classified the incident as a "targeted act of violence against the Jewish community," although the motive remains under investigation. Authorities have not drawn firm conclusions regarding the motive at this early stage. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel suggested a "nexus" between ongoing international conflicts and the attack, highlighting the synagogue's name, Temple Israel.
Multiple agencies, including the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, West Bloomfield Police, Michigan State Police, FBI, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), responded to the scene. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard confirmed the details of the incident and advised residents within a one-mile radius to shelter in place during the initial response. Increased police patrols were deployed to all Jewish facilities and other houses of worship in the area as a precautionary measure. The Jewish Federation of Detroit recommended a lockout protocol for all Jewish organizations in the region.
Community and Official Reactions
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer condemned antisemitism and violence, stating such acts "have no place in Michigan" and calling the incident "every community's worst nightmare."
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel affirmed that antisemitism "cannot be tolerated." President Donald Trump was briefed on the situation, expressed support for the Michigan Jewish community, and called it a "terrible thing," pledging further investigation. Israeli President Isaac Herzog communicated with Jewish leaders in Detroit, remarking that it was a "grave and serious incident that follows a series of attacks on Jewish institutions around the world."
Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun condemned Ghazali’s actions, emphasizing that such violence does not represent the city's values or provide an excuse for targeting a sacred space.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Michigan director, Dawud Walid, also condemned the attack, stating that violence against any house of worship is unjustified. US Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan) attributed the prevention of further casualties to the temple's security measures.