A Jewish synagogue in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan was attacked with gunfire and a vehicle on the 12th, which the FBI has called 'deliberate violence targeting the Jewish community.'
A suspect drove through the gates of the synagogue in West Bloomfield, armed with a gun, striking a security guard and engaging in a gunfight with other security personnel before being shot. Smoke billowed at the scene as the suspect's vehicle caught fire. The suspect was found dead inside the car.
The head of the Detroit FBI office said at a press conference that the incident was 'deeply disturbing,' and that the FBI is leading the investigation, regarding it as 'deliberate violence targeting the Jewish community.'
Local police stated that aside from staff, there were around 140 children in the synagogue’s affiliated preschool at the time, none of whom were injured. The suspect was found dead inside the car; the cause of death remains unclear and could have been either from gunshot wounds or other reasons.
According to The New York Times, the synagogue is the largest 'Temple Israel' in the Detroit metropolitan area, originally established to express a strong commitment to the founding of a 'Jewish nation.' The attack comes amid a significant increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the United States. President Trump commented at the White House on the same day that he was aware of this 'terrible incident' and that it would be thoroughly investigated.