Suspect In Michigan Synagogue Attack Lost Family In Israeli Strikes On Lebanon, Moved To US In 2011

Last Updated:March 13, 2026, 21:51 IST

The suspect, who attempted to ram his car into Temple Israel in Michigan, was shot by security guards.

The armed suspect, who drove a vehicle into a synagogue in Michigan before being shot dead, had lost four family members in an Israeli strike in his native Lebanon last week, said an official on Friday.

Authorities averted what could have turned into a mass-casualty event when security guards already in place at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, on the outskirts of Detroit, shot the driver before he could ram his vehicle into the complex that includes a school.

The man, identified as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel, one of the largest reform synagogues in the United States. Officials described the attempt as a violent attack targeting the Jewish community.

Police later said the suspect had recently lost four of his family members in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, news agency AP reported.

The investigation is being led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). According to authorities, the suspect drove his vehicle into the synagogue building and continued down a hallway before the car caught fire.

At the time of the incident, around 140 children and several staff members were present inside the synagogue’s early childhood centre, they revealed.

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said no injuries or casualties were reported in the incident. However, the attack triggered panic inside the complex.

Suspect Moved To US In 2011

The suspect, Ghazali, had moved to the United States in 2011 as the spouse of a US citizen. Later, he obtained the US citizenship in 2016, the Department of Homeland Security said.

According to an official, Ghazali’s two brothers, Kassim and Ibrahim, along with Ibrahim’s children, Ali and Fatima, were killed when the Israeli strike targeted their home in Lebanon just last week. At the time of the strikes, the family had gathered to break their fast during the holy month of Ramdan.

Israeli Strikes On Lebanon

Following the coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began February 28, Jerusalem once again targeted Lebanon in an effort to eradicate the Iran-backed Hezbollah militancy.

The attacks in Lebanon marked a significant escalation in the conflict, which began after Hezbollah targeted Israel with drones and missiles in retaliation for the strikes on Iran.

News world Suspect In Michigan Synagogue Attack Lost Family In Israeli Strikes On Lebanon, Moved To US In 2011

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