Attack on synagogue in Michigan

(West Bloomfield Township) An assailant armed with a rifle rammed his vehicle into one of the largest Reform synagogues in the United States on Thursday, driving through a hallway as security guards opened fire. Federal investigators spoke of an act of violence targeting the Jewish community.

Jennifer Runyan, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office, said at a news conference that the incident was “deeply disturbing and tragic” and that the FBI was leading the investigation. Explosives were found on board the vehicle, according to the CNN network.

The federal police consider this to be a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community,” she said. Investigators have not yet determined the motive for the crime.

No synagogue staff, teachers or any of the 140 children at the child care center were injured, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said.

The motorist smashed a series of doors and rushed into the hallway where something in the vehicle caught fire, Bouchard said.

“From what I saw on the video, he was deliberately heading toward the hallway,” he continued.

The synagogue has several security guards, he said, and at least one of them shot the suspect, who was found dead inside his vehicle.

“We can’t say what killed him at this point, but security officers opened fire on the suspect,” the sheriff said, adding that it was possible the attacker committed suicide or died in another way.

In the minutes following the attack, smoke billowed from the synagogue.

Mr. Bouchard added that a security guard was struck by the vehicle and lost consciousness, but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

Synagogues around the world have been on alert and have increased security since the United States and Israel launched a war by sending missiles into Iran on February 28.

The FBI has warned that Iranian agents may be planning drone attacks against targets in California. Two men brought explosives to a far-right protest outside New York City Hall on Saturday. Investigators say they were inspired by the Islamic State group.

And an attacker drove his car into a crowd outside an Orthodox synagogue in Manchester, England, on Yom Kippur. He stabbed two people to death before police shot him dead.

On Thursday, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office evacuated the building and about a dozen parents rushed to pick up their children from an early education center inside. The West Bloomfield School District has been put on lockdown.

Authorities were working to reunite parents and their children at a nearby Jewish community center.

Oakland County is the second largest county in Michigan, with approximately 1.3 million residents. The majority of Jewish residents in the Detroit area live there.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a statement saying she was monitoring developments.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said M.^me Whitmer. Michigan’s Jewish community should be able to live and practice their faith in peace. »

According to its website, Temple Israel has 12,000 members. It offers educational programs for families and adults.

The Jewish Federation of Detroit advised all Jewish organizations in the area to “practice stay-at-home protocol: no one should enter or leave your building.” The organization then lifted its notice.

Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, a survivor of the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, said in a statement that the Michigan attack once again demonstrated the consequences of hatred.

“We lose our humanity when we seek violent means as a solution,” said the rabbi of the Tree of Life congregation, where 11 worshipers were killed in the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history. “No one should live in fear because of who they are. »

Associated Press journalists Ed White, Todd Richmond in Madison, John Seewer in Toledo, and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.