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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said during a press briefing on Friday that the security officers at a Michigan synagogue that was targeted in an attack on Thursday were "heroes" who "saved lives."
"They were selfless in their courage and they saved lives. These heroes threw themselves in harm's way, engaging the suspect," she said.
"Yesterday's attack was antisemitism. It was hate, plain and simple. We will fight this ancient and rampant evil. We will stand together as we do it. And we will call it out," she said.
ARMED FBI AGENTS CARRY OUT SEARCH WARRANT BELIEVED TO BE IN CONNECTION TO SYNAGOGUE ATTACKER
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer listens as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district, speaks during a townhall panel on U.S. foreign policy at the 62nd Munich Security Conference on Feb. 13, 2026 in Munich, Germany. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
The attack was perpetrated by Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Thursday, noting that the Lebanese-born man was granted U.S. citizenship in 2016.
"The tragic attack on Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, was carried out by Ayman Mohamad Ghazali," DHS noted in the statement provided to Fox News.
FBI HELD ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING AT MICHIGAN SYNAGOGUE WEEKS BEFORE ATTACK
Law enforcement vehicles are seen parked outside Temple Israel guarding the scene in West Bloomfield, Michigan, on March 13, 2026, after a person identified as Ayman Ghazali drove a vehicle into the building. (Jeff Kowalsky/ AFP via Getty Images)
"He was born in Lebanon on January 4, 1985. He entered the United States on May 10, 2011, at Detroit Metropolitan International Airport on an IR1 immigrant visa as the spouse of a U.S. citizen after alien relative and fiancé petitions filed in December 2009 were approved in April 2010. He applied for naturalization on October 20, 2015, and was granted U.S. citizenship on February 5, 2016, under the Obama administration," the statement noted.
Temple Israel issued a Facebook post on Thursday noting that "Everyone is safe."
WHO IS AYMAN MOHAMAD GHAZALI? LEBANESE-BORN AMERICAN ACCUSED IN JEWISH SYNAGOGUE ATTACK
Law enforcement respond near Temple Israel following reports of an active shooter on March 12, 2026, in West Bloomfield, Mich. (Emily Elconin/Getty Images)
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"All 140 students in our Susan and Harold Loss Early Childhood Center, our amazing staff, our courageous teachers, and our heroic security personnel are all accounted for and safe," the post noted. "As you have no doubt heard, Temple Israel was the victim of a terrorist gunman who was confronted and neutralized by our security personnel who are truly heroes. Our teachers followed their training and kept the children safe and calm."
Fox News' Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.
