This is a developing story.
Police in suburban Detroit responded on Thursday to an “active shooter situation” at Temple Israel, one of the largest synagogues in the United States.
No one was killed at the synagogue, which has a preschool on its premises.
A man who drove a truck into the building was dead, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said at a press briefing outside the synagogue on Thursday afternoon. He said it was not immediately clear how the man had died but said that the synagogue’s security team had “engaged” by firing at the assailant.
One guard was hit by the truck and taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Bouchard said. He said it was too early to offer details about the assailant.
Smoke was pouring from the building and a bomb squad was working to clear any threats from the vehicle, according to Bouchard, who said, “Something ignited in the vehicle.” He said the truck remained inside the synagogue.
Children who were present at Temple Israel’s preschool were unharmed and evacuated from the building. A lockdown across Jewish institutions in the area was lifted after several hours.
The synagogue in West Bloomfield is one of the largest Jewish congregations in the United States, with more than 3,000 families.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said shortly before 1 p.m. that law enforcement was responding to an “active shooter situation” at the synagogue. FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI was also on the scene of what he said was an “apparent vehicle ramming and active shooter situation.”
“We are aware of an active security incident at Temple Israel. Law enforcement are responding. Our Jewish agencies are currently in precautionary lockdown. We ask community members to stay away from the area at this time,” the Jewish Federation of Detroit said in a statement posted to social media at the time.
Soon after 2:30 p.m., the federation posted an update. “We have received word that while there is still a large security presence at Temple Israel, all other Jewish organizations are no longer required to be in lockdown or lockout protocol,” it said. “There will continue to be a strong police and security presence throughout the community.”
The FBI’s Detroit office trained Temple Israel’s clergy and staff in preventing and responding to active shooters in late January. “The FBI course combines lessons learned from years of research and employs scenario-based exercises to help participants practice the decision-making process of the Run, Hide, Fight principles and take necessary actions for survival,” the office posted on social media at the time. “We appreciate them for having us.”
The incident comes as Jewish communities are on high alert because of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, which has a record of staging attacks on Jewish and Israeli targets around the world.
It also follows a ramming and shooting that killed four people at a church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, in September.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she was tracking reports of the incident. “This is heartbreaking,” she said in a statement. “Michigan’s Jewish community should be able to live and practice their faith in peace.”
Sen. Elissa Slotkin said she, too, was tracking the situation. She called Temple Israel “a place I know well.”
Reporting the stories that define our era. When history unfolds in real-time, the Jewish world turns to (JEWISH REVIEW). Your support ensures we can document the complexities of war and the resilience of Jewish communities with integrity.
