Who is Ayman Mohamad Ghazali? Lebanese-born American accused in Jewish synagogue attack

The fishy successful Thursday's onslaught that targeted a Jewish synagogue successful Michigan has been preliminarily identified arsenic 41-year-old Lebanese-born American national Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, according to 3 instrumentality enforcement sources who spoke to Fox News.

He reportedly targeted the Jewish assemblage aft suffering household losses successful Lebanon during the country's struggle with Israel, Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun said, adding that Ghazali was a nonmigratory of the city.

Ghazali allegedly rammed a conveyance into Temple Israel, a ample Reform Jewish synagogue successful West Bloomfield, astatine astir 12:30 p.m. section time. He past exited the conveyance with a firearm and exchanged gunfire with equipped security, who changeable and killed him.

"The tragic onslaught connected Temple Israel synagogue successful West Bloomfield, Michigan was carried retired by Ayman Mohamad Ghazali," the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News.

MICHIGAN SYNAGOGUE ATTACK SUSPECT IDENTIFIED, ENTERED US ON SPOUSE VISA FROM LEBANON: DHS

An progressive shooter was reported astatine the Temple Israel, a synagogue successful Michigan, connected Thursday, March 12, 2026. (WJBK)

Investigation underway

The politician of Dearborn Heights said successful a connection connected societal media that the fishy reportedly mislaid respective household members successful an Israeli onslaught connected their location successful Lebanon.

"Earlier today, we learned that the idiosyncratic liable for the incidental that took spot astatine Temple Israel Synagogue successful West Bloomfield was a nonmigratory of Dearborn Heights. He died astatine the scene," Mo Baydoun said. 

"Earlier this month, helium mislaid respective members of his ain family, including his niece and nephew, successful an Israeli onslaught connected their location successful Lebanon." 

Baydoun further condemned the onslaught and urged residents to enactment alert and vigilant, "especially arsenic we stitchery during these ineffable last days of Ramadan." 

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A pistillate gathers children arsenic instrumentality enforcement respond to a telephone astatine Temple Israel synagogue connected Thursday, March 12, 2026, successful West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/Corey Williams)

Pathway to the US

Multiple instrumentality enforcement sources and national authorities said the suspect, who lived adjacent Dearborn, Michigan, entered the United States arsenic the spouse of a U.S. national astir 15 years agone nether the Obama administration. He was subsequently granted citizenship 5 years aboriginal successful 2016.

Ghazali, who was calved successful Lebanon connected Jan. 4, 1985, entered the U.S. done the Detroit Metropolitan International Airport, connected May 10, 2011, arsenic the spouse of a U.S. citizen, according to the DHS.

He reportedly held an IR1 migrant visa — a benignant of greenish paper typically granted to couples joined for astatine slightest 2 years astatine the clip of visa support oregon introduction — indicating that the mates was joined by May 2009.

Before his arrival, his spouse filed 2 petitions successful December 2009 nether a dual-filing strategy, a fiancé petition and an alien comparative petition, some of which were approved successful April 2010, authorities said.

He past applied for naturalization connected Oct. 20, 2015, and was granted U.S. citizenship connected Feb. 5, 2016, nether the Obama administration.

Local media outlet The Detroit News added that Ghazali was a idiosyncratic successful Dearborn Heights. 

Law enforcement officials cautioned that the recognition remains preliminary arsenic investigators proceed to analyse Thursday’s incident.

Aftermath of attack

Heavy constabulary beingness was seen astatine the Temple Israel, a synagogue successful West Bloomfield Township, Mich., pursuing reports of an progressive shooter connected Thursday, March 12, 2026.  (Fox 2)

In the aftermath of the attack, Henry Ford Health reported that astatine slightest 8 archetypal responders progressive successful the incidental were treated astatine the infirmary by exigency teams.

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Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said earlier that 1 information defender was struck by the suspect’s truck. The fig of affected responders past roseate significantly, with astir 30 officers taken to the infirmary for fume inhalation aft entering the building, Bouchard added successful an update. 

All preschool children and unit astatine the temple had been safely evacuated from the synagogue.