By MES Dispatch staff
WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI — Authorities responded Thursday to reports of an active shooter at Temple Israel, a Reform synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, after a vehicle was driven into the building, according to law enforcement and federal officials.
The impact ignited smoke and a fire inside the synagogue, prompting a shelter-in-place advisory in the surrounding area while police and sheriff’s deputies worked to secure the scene, officials said.
A suspect was found dead at the location; law enforcement and synagogue security personnel engaged during the incident, and a security officer was struck by the vehicle and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities reported.
Temple Israel, one of the largest Reform Jewish congregations in the United States, also houses an early childhood center. Officials said all 140 children and staff present at the facility were safely evacuated and unharmed during the response.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the investigation, describing the attack as a potential targeted act of violence against the Jewish community and coordinating with local and state law enforcement at the scene.
Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies and other police agencies remain on site conducting precautionary checks for additional hazards as the synagogue community and nearby schools collaborate with authorities on recovery and safety measures.