Trending Now - Michigan Synagogue Shooter's Final Hours Captured in Photos
WHO:
Ayman Mohamad Ghazali sent a photo of himself with the AR-style rifle to a family member in Lebanon.
Ibrahim Mohamad Ghazali, identified as a Hezbollah commander, was confirmed dead by Israeli officials.
Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, the shooter
Temple Israel, a synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan
Hezbollah, the terrorist group linked to Ghazali's family
Jennifer Runyon, FBI Detroit Field Office special agent in charge
Bruce Zoldan, CEO of Phantom Fireworks
Mo Baydoun, mayor of the suburb where the attack occurred
WHAT:
Ghazali drove approximately 40 miles from his $315,000 home in Dearborn Heights to Temple Israel.
More than 140 children, teachers, and staff members were inside the synagogue at the time of the attack.
Ghazali's vehicle was filled with commercial-grade fireworks and several jugs of gasoline.
30 first responders were treated for smoke inhalation due to the fire caused by the vehicle ramming.
Ghazali drove a truck into Temple Israel and opened fire on March 12, 2026
The attack involved a vehicle packed with explosives and commercial-grade fireworks
No children or staff were injured, but a security guard was knocked unconscious
Ghazali sent a photo of himself with an AR-style rifle to a family member hours before the attack
Ghazali died by suicide after becoming trapped in his vehicle during the attack
The FBI is investigating the incident as a "targeted act of violence against the Jewish community"
Ghazali purchased over $2,000 worth of fireworks prior to the attack
WHERE:
Temple Israel, West Bloomfield, Michigan
Ghazali's residence in Dearborn Heights, Michigan
Southern Lebanon, where Ghazali's family is from
WHEN:
March 12, 2026, date of the attack
March 5, 2026, date of the Israeli drone strike that killed Ghazali's relatives
May 2011, date Ghazali entered the United States
February 5, 2016, date Ghazali became a U.S. citizen
August 2024, date Ghazali's ex-wife filed for divorce
March 2025, date Ghazali's divorce was finalized
WHY:
Ghazali's brothers, Kassim and Ibrahim Ghazali, were known members of Hezbollah, with Ibrahim's children, Ali and Fatima, among those killed in the Israeli drone strike.
Ghazali's family had links to Hezbollah, and he lost several relatives in an Israeli attack
Ghazali expressed a desire for "vengeance" in a message sent with his photo
HOW:
Ghazali's truck became jammed in a hallway, preventing his escape, and he engaged in a gunfight with two security guards before taking his own life.
Ghazali waited in the parking lot for two hours before ramming his vehicle into the synagogue
He was armed with a semiautomatic rifle during the attack
Ghazali's vehicle became jammed in a hallway, preventing his escape
(UPDATED March 19, 2026 21:11 UTC)
In a tragic incident last Monday, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, who drove from his home in Dearborn Heights, attacked Temple Israel while armed and filled his vehicle with commercial-grade fireworks and gasoline. During the chaos, over 140 children, teachers, and staff members were inside the synagogue, and 30 first responders had to be treated for smoke inhalation due to the resulting fire. The attack followed the death of Ibrahim Mohamad Ghazali, a Hezbollah commander, and ended with Ayman becoming trapped in a hallway, where he engaged in a gunfight with security before taking his own life.
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(UPDATED March 19, 2026 19:24 UTC)
On March 12, 2026, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali drove a truck packed with explosives and commercial-grade fireworks into Temple Israel, a synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, where he opened fire before dying by suicide after becoming trapped in his vehicle. The FBI is investigating the incident as a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community, particularly in light of Ghazali's family ties to Hezbollah and his expressed desire for vengeance following the recent death of relatives in an Israeli drone strike. Fortunately, while a security guard was knocked unconscious, no children or staff were injured during the attack.