FBI Identifies Assailant in West Bloomfield Temple Attack as 41 Year Old Dearborn Heights Resident

FBI Detroit names Ayman Mohamad Ghazali as the West Bloomfield attacker. Read the full federal investigation update and timeline of the Temple Israel assault.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 16, 2026, 5:42 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from FBI

Forensic Identification and Preliminary Subject Background

The FBI Detroit Field Office has officially identified the individual responsible for the March 12 assault on Temple Israel as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali. According to Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, the 41 year old resident of Dearborn Heights had no prior criminal record and was not previously a subject of any federal investigations. Authorities noted that while Ghazali used weapons during the attack, he did not have any registered firearms on record, leading investigators to further scrutinize the origin of the equipment used in the commission of the crime.

A Detailed Chronology of the Parking Lot Surveillance

Federal investigators have established a precise timeline of the events leading up to the breach, beginning with the suspect’s arrival at the house of worship. Surveillance footage indicates that Ghazali entered the Temple Israel parking lot in a gray Ford F-150 at approximately 9:58 a.m., where he remained stationary for over two hours. During this period of observation, no other individuals or vehicles were seen associating with the subject, suggesting a premeditated and solitary approach to the target location before the violence began.

The Violent Breach and Engagement with Security Personnel

The situation escalated at 12:19 p.m. when Ghazali drove his vehicle directly into a southeast entrance, striking a security guard during the forced entry. The vehicle subsequently became wedged between hallway walls, trapping the assailant inside the cabin. A intense gunfight ensued between Ghazali and multiple security officers, with shots exchanged through the vehicle’s windows. The FBI reports that the engagement lasted several minutes as staff worked to contain the threat while teachers and school personnel successfully evacuated children from the premises.