Man Described as Suicidal Before Attacking Michigan Synagogue

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A man who drove his pickup truck into a Detroit-area synagogue and exchanged gunfire with a guard before killing himself was described as suicidal in a 911 call made by his ex-wife just prior to the attack, according to a report from WXYZ-TV. The ex-wife told police that Ghazali had recently lost family members in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon and that his 'voice was not stable'.

Why it matters

The revelation that the perpetrator was in a suicidal state before the attack raises questions about mental health, security at religious institutions, and the potential radicalization of individuals following tragic events involving their families or communities.

The details

Ayman Ghazali, a naturalized U.S. citizen, waited for two hours outside Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township before ramming his pickup truck into the building, which housed dozens of children in an early childhood learning center. No children were harmed, but Ghazali exchanged gunfire with a security guard and then killed himself inside the vehicle, which also caught fire.

• The 911 call from Ghazali's ex-wife came around the same time as the attack on Thursday.
• A memorial service for Ghazali's family members killed in a March 5 Israeli airstrike in Lebanon was held at the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The FBI's Detroit office, which is investigating the synagogue attack, has declined to comment on the description of Ghazali's brother as a Hezbollah commander.