Armed man rammed vehicle into
Michigan synagogue and was fatally shot by
Security, AP source says 1 of 5 | A man armed with a rifle rammed a vehicle into a major synagogue in a
Detroit suburb and was fatally shot by
Security. That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The
Associated Press on Thursday. (AP video:
Corey Williams) 2 of 5 |
Law enforcement respond to a call at
Temple Israel synagogue, Thursday, March 12, 2026 in
West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/
Corey Williams) 3 of 5 | People gather near
Temple Israel synagogue on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in
West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/
Corey Williams) 4 of 5 |
Law enforcement respond to a call at
Temple Israel synagogue on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in
West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/
Corey Williams) 5 of 5 | A woman gathers children as
Law enforcement respond to a call at
Temple Israel synagogue on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in
West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/
Corey Williams) 1 of 5 A man armed with a rifle rammed a vehicle into a major synagogue in a
Detroit suburb and was fatally shot by
Security. That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The
Associated Press on Thursday. (AP video:
Corey Williams) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 2 of 5
Law enforcement respond to a call at
Temple Israel synagogue, Thursday, March 12, 2026 in
West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/
Corey Williams) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 3 of 5 People gather near
Temple Israel synagogue on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in
West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/
Corey Williams) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 4 of 5
Law enforcement respond to a call at
Temple Israel synagogue on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in
West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/
Corey Williams) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 5 of 5 A woman gathers children as
Law enforcement respond to a call at
Temple Israel synagogue on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in
West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/
Corey Williams) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Investigators were still working to identify the man’s identity and a possible motive for the attack, said the person who could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. The person cautioned that the investigation was still in the early stages.Smoke could be seen billowing from the synagogue, which has about 12,000 members and houses an early childhood center. Footage from the scene shows dozens of police vehicles surrounding the building. “No kids or no staff were injured whatsoever,” Oakland County Sheriff Sheriff Mike Bouchard. He said one
Security officer was hit by the vehicle but did not suffer life-threatening injuries. “At least one individual came to the temple.
Security saw him, engaged him in gunfire,” Bouchard said during an earlier news conference. Synagogues around the world have been on edge and ramping up
Security since the U.S. and Israel launched a war with Iran with missile strikes on Feb. 28.The FBI has warned that Iranian operatives may be planning drone attacks on targets in California. Two men brought explosives Saturday to a far-right protest outside the New York mayoral mansion on Saturday. Investigators allege they were inspired by the Islamic State extremist group. In a similar incident to what happened in
West Bloomfield Township, an assailant drove a car into people outside an Orthodox synagogue in Manchester, England, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year in October. He stabbed two people to death before officers shot and killed him. The Oakland County Sheriff’s office cleared the building and about a dozen parents sprinted to get their children from an early childhood learning center inside the building after getting approval from police. West Bloomfield School District went on lockdown.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a statement saying she was tracking developments. “This is heartbreaking,” Whitmer said. “
Michigan’s Jewish community should be able to live and practice their faith in peace.”Temple Israel calls itself the nation’s largest Reform synagogue, with 12,000 members. according to its website. It offers educational programs for families and adults.The website says the synagogue is “passionate about helping Jewish communities across the globe” and that its mission is to “create a community building through the lens of Reform Judaism.”The Jewish Federation of
Detroit advised all Jewish organizations in the area “to go into lockout protocol — nobody in or out of your building.”___Durkin Richer reported from Washington, D.C.
Associated Press reporters Ed White in
Detroit and Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed. Richer covers the Justice Department and federal courts. She joined The AP in 2013 and is based in Washington.