West Bloomfield synagogue shooting leaves suspect dead, two injured

West Bloomfield synagogue shooting leaves suspect dead and two injured after a car crash and gunfire at a Jewish complex in Michigan. The FBI is investigating the attack as terrorism

The West Bloomfield synagogue shooting left one suspect dead and two people injured after gunfire erupted inside a Jewish complex in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.

According to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, a man drove a vehicle into the synagogue building before security personnel responded and opened fire. The suspect was killed during the exchange of gunfire, while two individuals were wounded.

The incident took place at a Jewish complex that includes the Temple Israel synagogue and a Jewish school.

Authorities initially asked nearby residents to shelter in place. The Jewish Federation of Detroit also instructed Jewish organizations across the area to activate a lockdown protocol, telling institutions that no one should enter or leave their buildings.

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene, including the West Bloomfield Police Department, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the Michigan State Police, and the FBI. Videos circulating online showed emergency personnel clearing the synagogue building as smoke rose from the structure.

Following the West Bloomfield synagogue shooting, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for the Jewish community in Michigan.

“I want to send our love to the Jewish community in Michigan and to all the people of Detroit and the Detroit area after the attack on the synagogue this morning,” Trump said from the East Room of the White House. “I have been fully briefed, and it is a terrible thing.”

Trump added that authorities would investigate the attack thoroughly, calling the incident “absolutely incredible that things like this happen.”

FBI investigation

The West Bloomfield synagogue shooting is being investigated by the FBI as an act of terrorism. FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X that the attacker died after being stopped by several students before law enforcement officers arrived.

Two law enforcement officials cited by NBC News identified the suspect as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, a resident of Sterling, Virginia. According to authorities, he had previously served an 11-year prison sentence for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State and had been released in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Police said the shooting began at approximately 10:49 a.m. local time (3:49 p.m. in Italy) inside the building known as Constant Hall on the campus.

The two injured victims were transported to a hospital and were reported to be in stable condition, according to Garrett Shelton, chief of the university police.

Security tightened at religious sites

After the West Bloomfield synagogue shooting, police departments in Michigan and other U.S. cities increased security measures around religious institutions.

According to CNN, the police chief of Ann Arbor, about 40 kilometers southwest of West Bloomfield, ordered increased patrols around houses of worship and schools as a precautionary measure. He described the move as proactive and said there was no known threat to the Ann Arbor community.

Police in Philadelphia also announced on X that they were closely monitoring the situation and increasing patrols around places of worship and other sensitive locations.

Authorities in New York City confirmed that high-visibility patrols around Jewish cultural and religious institutions would continue “out of an abundance of caution,” citing the current elevated threat environment.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)