Unveiling Ayman Mohamad Ghazali: The Lebanese-Born American at the Center of a High-Profile Synagogue Attack Case

The individual suspected in Thursday’s assault on a Jewish synagogue in Michigan has been tentatively identified as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old American citizen originally from Lebanon, according to information from three law enforcement officials reported by Fox News.

Sources indicate that Ghazali may have targeted the Jewish community due to personal grief stemming from family losses in Lebanon amid its ongoing conflict with Israel. Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun noted that Ghazali was a local resident.

According to reports, Ghazali allegedly drove a vehicle into Temple Israel, a prominent Reform Jewish synagogue located in West Bloomfield, around 12:30 p.m. local time. Following the crash, he exited the vehicle armed with a rifle and engaged in a shootout with security personnel, who ultimately shot and killed him.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed to Fox News that “the tragic attack on Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan was carried out by Ayman Mohamad Ghazali.”

On Thursday, March 12, 2026, the Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan was the site of an active shooter incident, according to reports from WJBK.

Investigation underway

The mayor of Dearborn Heights said in a statement on social media that the suspect reportedly lost several family members in an Israeli attack on their home in Lebanon.

“Earlier today, we learned that the individual responsible for the incident that took place at Temple Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield was a resident of Dearborn Heights. He died at the scene,” Mo Baydoun said. 

“Earlier this month, he lost several members of his own family, including his niece and nephew, in an Israeli attack on their home in Lebanon.” 

Baydoun further condemned the attack and urged residents to stay aware and vigilant, “especially as we gather during these sacred final days of Ramadan.” 

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)

Pathway to the US

Multiple law enforcement sources and federal authorities said the suspect, who lived near Dearborn, Michigan, entered the United States as the spouse of a U.S. citizen roughly 15 years ago under the Obama administration. He was subsequently granted citizenship five years later in 2016.

Ghazali, who was born in Lebanon on Jan. 4, 1985, entered the U.S. through the Detroit Metropolitan International Airport, on May 10, 2011, as the spouse of a U.S. citizen, according to the DHS.

He reportedly held an IR1 immigrant visa — a type of green card typically granted to couples married for at least two years at the time of visa approval or entry — indicating that the couple was married by May 2009.

Before his arrival, his partner filed two petitions in December 2009 under a dual-filing strategy, a fiancé petition and an alien relative petition, both of which were approved in April 2010, authorities said.

He then applied for naturalization on Oct. 20, 2015, and was granted U.S. citizenship on Feb. 5, 2016, under the Obama administration.

Local media outlet The Detroit News added that Ghazali was a worker in Dearborn Heights. 

Law enforcement officials cautioned that the identification remains preliminary as investigators continue to investigate Thursday’s incident.

Aftermath of attack

Heavy police presence was seen at the Temple Israel, a synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, Mich., following reports of an active shooter on Thursday, March 12, 2026.  (Fox 2)

In the wake of the attack, Henry Ford Health reported that at least eight first responders involved in the incident were treated at the hospital by emergency teams.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said earlier that one security guard was struck by the suspect’s truck. The number of affected responders then rose significantly, with roughly 30 officers taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation after entering the building, Bouchard added in an update. 

All preschool children and staff at the temple had been safely evacuated from the synagogue.