By: Gena Johnson | West Bloomfield Beacon | Published March 17, 2026
WEST BLOOMFIELD — The deceased suspect in the attack on Temple Israel has been identified as Ayman Mohamed Ghazali, 41, of Dearborn Heights.
Authorities say forensic analysis confirmed his identity following the March 12 attack on the synagogue located at 5725 Walnut Lake Road in West Bloomfield Township.
“Acts of violence against houses of worship (and) schools in our community have no place in Michigan, and the FBI continues … to provide support for these families and investigate these events that led up to this ruthless act of violence,” said Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge at the FBI Detroit field office, during a press conference March 13 at the Jewish Community Center, 6600 W. Maple Road in West Bloomfield Township. The media had previously been briefed there the day prior, mere hours after the attack.
Runyan acknowledged there has been much coverage about the assailant, but she would not speculate about his motives.
“Our team has been working around the clock to ensure that we remain focused to provide confirmed facts about this investigation,” Runyan said, referring to the incident as a “targeted act of violence.”
According to the FBI, there is no evidence that the Temple Israel incident was related to the shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., which also happened March 12.
She also said the suspect acted alone, and there is no threat to the community.
“(Ghazali) has no previous criminal history, no registered weapons. He has never been the subject of an FBI investigation,” she said.
On March 12, just before 10 a.m., Ghazali drove his gray Ford F-150 truck into the parking lot of Temple Israel where it remained parked until 12:15 p.m., at which time he started to drive around the parking lot. At 12:19 p.m., he drove his vehicle through a doorway on the southeast side of the building.
“He actually drove through the bollards and that’s how he was able to drive through the door,” said Brian Tash, deputy chief with the West Bloomfield Police Department.
According to the FBI and WBPD, Ghazali’s vehicle hit a security officer and became stuck between the hallway walls of the synagogue, which also has a school in the building.
The assailant started firing gunshots through the front windshield of his vehicle at about 12:20 p.m., engaging the first security officer in a gunfight. The assailant could not exit the vehicle because it was stuck between the hallway walls.
A second security officer entered the fray, shooting at Ghazali through the front windshield of his vehicle. The engine of the truck caught fire. Authorities later found commercial-grade fireworks and several jugs of flammable liquid thought to be gasoline in the bed of the truck.
At some point during the exchange, Ghazali suffered a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.
During the incident, a preschool class was in session. The teachers were commended for acting swiftly and keeping the children safe. Local police and other law enforcement agencies evacuated the building and escorted the students and staff to the Shenandoah Country Club across the street at 5600 Walnut Lake Road, where they remained safe.
The FBI referred to this as a “traumatic experience,” and is providing resources and support at the Jewish Community Center for anyone affected by the incident.
“If you see something, say something” has been the refrain of law enforcement throughout the course of the investigation. Anyone who witnesses concerning behavior should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
“I would like to encourage all places of worship to remain vigilant … (and) work with local and federal partners to get active shooter training,” Runyan said, noting this allows everyone to stay safe until first responders arrive.
Jonathan Warshay, the supervisor of West Bloomfield Township, said Temple Israel had trained with the FBI two weeks before the incident.
“So, they are certainly working on preparedness,” Warshay said. “That’s probably the biggest thing that any of us can do — to anticipate what might happen and be prepared for it. Because we can’t stop bad actors from trying.”
More than 600 law enforcement officers responded to the scene from 42 different agencies.
“We have a shared mission: to keep the community safe and operate it seamlessly,” said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
A total of 63 law enforcement officers were sent to the hospital due to smoke inhalation, according to the sheriff. Officers continued to move into the building to neutralize the threat, rescue the innocent and make sure there were no additional threats.
“It’s not the time to make a plan at the door,” Bouchard said. “You have to train, train, train in advance, and that’s what we did.”
The teachers marshalled the preschoolers out of the building. The children ranged in age from 0-5 years old, according to Bouchard.
“This is not a group who knew what to do or how to do it. They relied on the staff to get it done and they did in a great way,” Bouchard said.
Temple Israel had its Shabbat at the Shenandoah Country Club in one of the club’s ballrooms Friday evening, the day after the violent attack. A Shabbat, in the Jewish tradition, is a Sabbath service.
“All the prayer books were destroyed… The smoke probably triggered the sprinkler system,” Warshay said.
In addition, the vestments the rabbis wear during the service were also damaged by smoke. However, the Torah — the Holy Scripture in Judaism — was preserved. It is stored in an enclosed space in the back of the altar.
Warshay described Friday’s service as “quite an emotional experience,” with many state and local government officials there to show their support.
Warshay is a member of the congregation, was married by the clergy there, and has a strong connection with the families.
The building has incurred considerable damage. Contractors were on site March 16 and township building inspectors will soon do a review, Warshay said.
There is heightened security at the moment.
“The temples in the area will see an increase in patrol. That’s not because we have any other information. It’s solely to put the people at ease so they can go about their day and know (the police) are still out there doing our job, patrolling and keeping an eye out for them,” Tash said.
Schools and faith-based organizations are part of everyday life.
“No community should ever feel unsafe gathering in a house of worship or sending their kids to school,” Warshay said.
Call Staff Writer Gena Johnson at (568) 498-1069.