What we know
• A suspect is dead after ramming a vehicle into a Detroit-area synagogue, which became engulfed in flames, according to authorities. The incident happened at Temple Israel, which includes an early childcare center and school, in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.
• The vehicle is registered to a man in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, who was originally from Lebanon, law enforcement sources told CNN. Authorities are investigating reports that the man told people that he had family members who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon in recent days, those officials said.
• After the ramming, security opened gunfire and the suspect was later found dead, the Oakland County sheriff said. A security guard was hit by the vehicle but is expected to recover, while at least 30 law enforcement officers were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation, he said.
• Earlier, law enforcement officials briefed on the scene said that responders found what appeared to be a large amount of explosives in the vehicle.
Latest details from officials as they investigate Michigan synagogue attack
The West Bloomfield Police Department and other law enforcement agencies just provided new details on the Temple Israel attack.
As a reminder, a suspect drove a vehicle through doors of the synagogue and down the hall before they were confronted by security guards who opened fire, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. The suspect was found dead and badly burnt inside the vehicle, the sheriff added.
The vehicle had a large amount of explosives in the back, law enforcement sources say.
Now here’s the latest from authorities:
- The West Bloomfield Police Department received a 911 call for an active shooter situation at the synagogue at 12:19 p.m. ET, Chief Dale Young said. The FBI was notified at about 12:45 p.m. ET, according to Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office.
- At least 30 law enforcement officers were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, Bouchard said. These are officials from several different agencies, he said.
- The synagogue “became engulfed” in flames, and further investigation will uncover exactly what happened, Bouchard added.
- The attack was a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community,” Runyan said. But, the exact motive behind the attack is under investigation, Bouchard said.
- The FBI has mobilized a host of resources, including bomb techs, its weapons of mass destruction team and more than 100 agents and analysts, Runyan said.
CNN’s Cindy Von Quednow, Amanda Musa and Emma Tucker contributed reporting to this post.
Vehicle used in attack registered to Michigan man originally from Lebanon, sources say
The vehicle used in Thursday’s attack is registered to a man in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, who was originally from Lebanon, multiple law enforcement sources told CNN.
Authorities are investigating reports that the man told people he had multiple family members who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon in recent days, those officials said.
Teachers and security staff are "rock stars of the day," Temple Israel rabbi says
Rabbi Arianna Gordon of Temple Israel says teachers and security staff at the synagogue, which has a school and an early childcare center onsite, were the “true rock stars of the day” who kept students safe and calm after a suspect rammed a vehicle into the temple.
“For that, I can’t express my gratitude enough,” Gordon said Thursday. “We are really appreciative to all of you for making sure that everyone made it home.”
Security staff “stopped the threat,” according to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, who said he texted with the temple’s head of security just two days ago as law enforcement has remained in contact with houses of worship throughout the area over the past two weeks.
“What happens around the world sometimes affects us, so we have to think about it and be prepared for it,” Bouchard said Thursday.
Sheriff sends strong message to anyone targeting the Jewish community in his county
During a news conference Thursday evening, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard sent a strong message to anyone who plans to attack the Jewish community in his county.
More than 100 FBI agents and analysts deployed to work on Michigan attack, official says
When the FBI first heard of an active incident happening at Temple Israel this afternoon, it mobilized several specialized teams and resources and more than 100 agents and analysts, according to Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan.
The effort was aimed at “actively mitigating and responding to the active threat” as well as “pursuing diligently and methodically every lead that we have,” she said.
The FBI has activated a digital tip line and encouraged people to submit information, photos or videos, she said. That tip line can be found at www.fbi.gov/westbloomfieldattack.
Motive still under investigation, sheriff says
The motive behind today’s ramming attack at a Michigan synagogue is under investigation, according to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
“What drove this person into action that has to be determined by the investigation,” Bouchard said during a news conference Thursday evening. “We can presume, but we have to find those facts, and that’s going to happen over the next days in time.”
Synagogue attack was “targeted act of violence" against Jewish community, FBI official says
The attack on Temple Israel, a Detroit-area synagogue, was a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community,” said Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office.
She described the incident at a news briefing as “deeply disturbing and tragic,” and stressed that the incident remains under investigation.
About 30 law enforcement officers are being treated for smoke inhalation, sheriff says
At least 30 law enforcement officers were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation after responding to the attack at Temple Israel today, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.
These are officials from several different agencies, including the sheriff’s department and its SWAT team, he said at a news conference today.
The synagogue “became engulfed” in flames, and further investigation will uncover exactly what happened, Bouchard added.
NOW: Police department news conference on Temple Israel attack is underway
The West Bloomfield Police Department and other law enforcement agencies are holding a news conference on today’s car ramming at a local synagogue.
We’ll bring you the latest as more details emerge.
Michigan attorney general worried antisemitism will make people afraid to go to synagogues
The attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township today hits close to home for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. She said some of her family members live down the street from the synagogue and others are members of the congregation.
She was at Temple Israel last year to give a presentation about hate crimes and domestic terrorism, she told CNN’s Jake Tapper. Now, that violence became a reality when a suspect rammed their vehicle filled with explosives into the synagogue, officials said.
“Here we are today in a totally predictable fashion having an act of domestic terrorism right here at that same spot,” she said.
The security guards who saw and opened fire on the suspect were “well-trained” and “well-prepared,” the attorney general said. Law enforcement is investigating “out of an abundance of caution” to make sure there was only one person involved, but right now it appears that the person who was found dead in the vehicle was responsible for the attack, Nessel said.
Nessel said she is worried that a rise of antisemitism in America is going to make people afraid to go to synagogues or other Jewish spaces.
Nessel, a Democrat, said she thinks “it’s time for people to speak up about what we see happening in American politics right now” in both parties to combat hateful rhetoric. She also believes current international events are playing a role.
“I think we can absolutely draw a nexus between the war in Iran and the events of today,” Nessel said. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that out of all the synagogues or temples that this individual could have picked, he picked the one that is named Temple Israel.”
Ramming of synagogue is second recent attack on places of worship in Michigan
Just over 30 miles away from Temple Israel, another attack six months ago involving a vehicle and gunfire at a place of worship left four people dead and a church burned down.
On September 28, a former Marine drove his truck into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and began shooting at congregants during the church service. Authorities say he used gasoline to light the church on fire. The gunman was killed by law enforcement responding to the shooting, and the chapel remains closed.
It was determined by the FBI that the attack was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against the LDS community.
Today’s attack in West Bloomfield Township is being investigated as a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community,” the FBI said. A security guard was knocked down as the suspect drove into the building, and 30 first responders were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation after the suspect’s vehicle caught fire. No children or staff at the synagogue were hurt, the sheriff said.
The attack on Temple Israel occured amid a rise in antisemitic incidents across the US, causing many Jewish communities to strengthen or adopt new security measures.
Synagogue attack has "shaken me and so many others to their core," Michigan lawmaker says
Michigan state Rep. Samantha Steckloff said that today’s attack on her synagogue, Temple Israel, has “absolutely shaken” her.
Steckloff said she lives about 4 miles away from the synagogue, and it is her “safe space.”
Steckloff said it was “heartbreaking” to watch parents race to pick their young children from the synagogue which has a school and an early childcare center onsite.
“This is supposed to be the safe space and that was destroyed today,” she added.
The Democratic lawmaker said the conflict with Iran has created a heightened sense of fear in the Jewish community.
“When you have so many people blaming the Jewish community across the world for a war that is being done in the Middle East, the divisiveness you have seen boil up for the past few years was just almost ripe for the picking,” Steckloff said.
“This was almost one of my biggest fears. Everyone deserves to live in peace. Everyone deserves to worship in peace. This is our first amendment right,” she added.
At least 8 first responders were taken to hospitals after synagogue attack
At least eight first responders were taken to Detroit-area hospitals after a ramming attack at Temple Israel earlier today, according to Henry Ford Health, a Michigan-based health system.
The first responders are being treated at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital and Henry Ford Providence Novi Hospital, the health system said in a statement to CNN. It did not provide information about their conditions or how many went to each hospital.
A security guard, who was hit by the vehicle and knocked unconcious, was taken to the hospital, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said earlier today. It is unclear if that person is considered one of the eight first responders who were hurt.
No children or staff at the synagogue’s school were injured, the sheriff said.
“Our hearts go out to the community at Temple Israel and anyone who is impacted by this this frightening event. There is absolutely no place for violence in our community,” the healthcare system said in a statement.
Tree of Life congregation grieves "lost sense of security" amid Michigan incident
The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh is expressing support following the incident at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, according to a statement from congregation leaders.
In 2018, a gunman opened fire inside the Tree of Life temple, killing 11 people and wounding six others in what the Anti-Defamation League has called the deadliest-ever attack on Jewish people in the United States.
While no members of the Temple Israel community were killed or seriously injured in today’s attack, Tree of Life CEO Carole Zawatsky expressed grief in a statement, saying the incident has awakened feelings of fear in the Jewish community.
“We grieve for a lost sense of security; that we live in a world where Jews have to worship under the protection of armed guards; that preschoolers must be equipped to survive an active shooting situation,” Zawatsky said.
Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, a survivor of the 2018 shooting, shared words of caution: “The tragedy of today’s events in West Bloomfield demonstrates what happens when we let H[ate] take over: it leads to violence. We lose our humanity when we seek violent means as a solution. No one should dwell in fear because of who they are.”
Israel "shocked" by synagogue attack
Israeli officals are expressing alarm at the attack on a Detroit-area synagogue.
“Shocked by the attack on a synagogue near Detroit,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar posted to X, adding that the country is in touch with the Jewish community and local authorities. “Antisemitism must never be allowed to rear its ugly head.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he spoke to Jewish leaders in Detroit after the incident to receive updates and show express solidarity with the local Jewish community.
Jewish community spends $765 million on security per year
Security is nothing new for Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, nor for Jewish institutions across the country.
Overall, the Jewish community in North America spends about $765 million per year on security costs, according to the Jewish Federations of North America.
The Secure Community Network, or SCN, is a national organization that offers trainings and intelligence for securing Jewish institutions. Michael Masters, the national director and CEO, described the SCN as the “FBI for the Jewish community,” overseeing security from a high level and offering a curriculum for regional Jewish federations to train local institutions.
Over 13,000 institutions are part of the network, and Masters said they trained over 40,000 members of the Jewish community last year.
Their work has grown exponentially over the past decade, particularly since the 2018 attack on Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue. Masters said the SCN had four employees and a budget of $1.2 million in 2017. It now has a $34 million budget and 130 employees.
The heavy security at Jewish institutions is easy to see, noted Donell Harvin, the former chief of Homeland Security and Intelligence for Washington, DC.
“I’ve worked a lot with houses of worship in DC, and every time I go to a synagogue I’m taken aback by how prepared they are, with armed security that is visible, sometimes law enforcement,” he said. “This community has been under siege for quite a long time. They’re not new to this.”
Homeland Security Investigations unit is on scene at Temple Israel, DHS secretary says
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations division is on scene at the Temple Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“HSI is currently on the scene in Michigan with other federal agencies and local law enforcement, and we are closely monitoring the alleged shooter report and vehicle crash at the Temple Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan,” Noem posted on X .
Earlier, Attorney General Pam Bondi said agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were also on scene.
A timeline of how a vehicle rammed into a Detroit-area synogogue
The suspect who rammed through a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday is dead, but no one else is seriously hurt in an incident that could have been “far worse,” according to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
Here’s a timeline of what we know so far about how the events unfolded:
- A vehicle arrived at the Temple Israel synagogue, which includes an early childcare center and school, breached the building, driving through the doors, down the hall and “all the way” into the facility located in West Bloomfield Township, Bouchard said.
- When the suspect came into the synagogue, multiple security officers who were on the scene saw them and engaged in gunfire, Bouchard said.
- One of the lead security officers was hit by the vehicle and knocked unconscious before he was pulled from the area by other members of his team, the sheriff said. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and is stable, he added.
- The sheriff could not say what killed the suspect, but he noted security did engage with gunfire and said the suspect had a rifle. “You never know, if somebody’s trapped sometimes, they kill themselves,” he added.
- The suspect’s body was badly burnt, two sources familiar with the matter said. Something caught fire inside the vehicle, Bouchard said.
- Emergency responders found what appeared to be a large amount of explosives in the back of the vehicle, according to multiple law enforcement officials briefed on the scene.
- Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) arrived on the scene to assist the investigation, but the sheriff’s department will likely lead the probe, Bouchard said.
- Law enforcement are still working to clear the area, but they believe that they have accounted for everyone who was in the building, Bouchard said. Reunification of families and the children are in progress, he added.
- A significant number of bomb dogs and techs are on site as law enforcement is working to clear the vehicle of any explosives and any other threats, the sheriff said.
- Extra security will be added around Jewish spaces in the West Bloomfield Township area out of “an abundance of caution,” the sheriff said.
- The sheriff said he had been talking to other local law enforcement officials about the potential of violence for the last two weeks. Because of this incident, the synagogue was prepared and had security who “engaged the threat,” Bouchard said.
"Now is the time to show up" for the Jewish community, rabbi says
After the attack on Temple Israel today, elected leaders and allies of different faiths should show up for the Jewish community on Sabbath, said Rabbi Steve Leder of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles.
“It really matters. No one suffers pain better alone. So please, please show up with a full heart,” he added.
Leder also expressed heartbreak for the parents of the children who may have been at the Temple at the time of the attack, and anger at the fear for safety among Jewish communities.
“No Jewish community in America is going to stand around with their hands in their pockets and be a victim,” he told CNN. “We need to protect ourselves. We’re grateful to the synagogue security. We need fences, we need bollards, we need guns, we need cameras. We need it at all.”
Trump says White House is sending “our love” to the Jewish community in Michigan
President Donald Trump said that the White House is sending “our love” to the Jewish community in Michigan, making his first public comments since the Temple Israel attack today.
“Before we begin, I want to send our love to the Michigan Jewish community and all of the people in Detroit, Detroit area, following the attack on the Jewish synagogue early today, and I’ve been briefed, fully briefed and it’s a terrible thing,” the president said from the East Room.
As he left the event today, he added that the attack was “tragic.”
A suspect is dead after ramming a vehicle into a Detroit-area synagogue today, Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. The incident happened at Temple Israel, which includes an early childcare center and school, in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.
