According to reports cited by the Associated Press, the suspect was identified as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Lebanon. He arrived in the U.S. in 2011 on an immigrant visa as the spouse of a U.S. citizen and lived in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.
On March 13, Ghazali rammed his vehicle into the grounds of Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Private security guards at the religious facility shot and killed the suspect at the scene.
According to officials, Ghazali was carrying a rifle and explosive devices during the attack. No civilians were killed in the incident, though one security guard was injured.
Following the collision, a fire broke out, causing 30 responding law enforcement officers to be treated for smoke inhalation.
A local official in Mashgharah told the Associated Press that the airstrike in Lebanon last week struck the Ghazali family home, killing two of his brothers, a nephew, and a niece. A brother's wife was also injured and is receiving treatment at a hospital.
Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun said the family's grief is understandable but emphasized that there is no justification for violence targeting a place of worship.
“The grief is real and it is tragic, but violence, especially violence directed at a sacred space, is never acceptable,” Baydoun said.
The incident remains under investigation as thousands of American citizens are stranded in the Middle East following the outbreak of intense conflict.
