Feds: Temple Israel attacker was naturalized citizen from Lebanon

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The armed man who rammed his vehicle into one of the nation's largest Reform synagogues in West Bloomfield Township near Detroit, Michigan, has been identified as a 41-year-old naturalized citizen born in Lebanon, according to federal officials. Ayman Mohamad Ghazali was fatally shot by security officers after driving through a hallway at Temple Israel, in what authorities called a "targeted act of violence against the Jewish community".

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing threat of violence against Jewish institutions and the need for heightened security measures, especially in the wake of recent attacks on synagogues and other houses of worship around the world. It also raises questions about the radicalization of naturalized citizens and the challenges of detecting and preventing such targeted acts of violence.

The details

Ghazali came to the U.S. in 2011 on an immediate relative visa as the spouse of a U.S. citizen and was granted U.S. citizenship in 2016, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The FBI is leading the investigation into what drove Ghazali to carry out this attack. None of the synagogue's staff, teachers or the 140 children at its early childhood center were injured, though the crash happened near a classroom.

• The attack occurred on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The FBI is leading the investigation into what motivated the attack, and authorities are working to determine if there were any accomplices or if this was a lone-wolf incident.