WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Police revealed what the attacker was doing within the days before he focused Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township.
Jennifer Runyan, particular agent answerable for the FBI Detroit Field Office, laid out the findings at a press convention on Monday, March 30, saying investigators processed a whole bunch of digital and forensic proof objects and carried out greater than 100 interviews of witnesses, members of the family, and associates.
“Despite the fire in the truck and the assailant’s attempts to delete his digital footprint, we have processed hundreds of digital and forensic evidence items,” Runyan stated.
The FBI defines terrorism as a violent legal act by a person impressed by or related to a chosen overseas terrorist group. Runyan stated brokers didn’t make that designation calmly.
“In this case, the evidence shows the attacker was motivated and inspired by Hezbollah militant ideology,” Runyan stated.
Activity relationship again to January 6
A evaluation of his web exercise relationship again to January 2026 revealed a constant sample of consuming pro-Hezbollah information channels, Iranian information channels, and movies about shootouts and bullets.
He frequently watched reside protection of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and adopted information “about an Iranian fatwa calling for total jihad against the U.S. military,” in accordance with the FBI.
March 9: Weapons, ammunition, and goal analysis
The attacker’s direct planning started within the early morning hours of March 9, when he began looking the online for native synagogues.
By afternoon, he tried to buy a weapon from two completely different folks, each of whom FBI brokers have since recognized and interviewed. When these makes an attempt failed, he went to a gun retailer in Dearborn Heights and purchased an AR-style rifle, 10 rifle magazines, and roughly 300 rounds of .223 rifle ammunition.
While nonetheless on the gun retailer, he additionally positioned a web based order for a rifle journal pouch and 40 collapsible 5.3-gallon water containers. He then started looking for native fireworks distributors, in accordance with the FBI.
That night time, he spent hours searching web sites for Jewish cultural, academic, and non secular facilities throughout the Metro Detroit space, together with a number of pages overlaying upcoming occasions at Temple Israel.
March 10: Practice, fireworks, and extra analysis
On March 10, the attacker continued looking on-line utilizing particular phrases, together with:
“largest gathering of israelis in Michigan”
“orthodox synagogues”
“israeli near me”
“what time is the trump rally in Michigan”
“a center affiliated with the israeli embassy in Michigan”
He later tried to delete these searches. Investigators had been capable of get well them.
At about 1 p.m., he went to a neighborhood capturing vary and practiced firing his newly bought rifle.
An hour later, at about 2 p.m., he drove to the fireworks vendor he had researched and spent greater than $2,200 on fireworks.
After leaving the fireworks retailer, he continued taking a look at internet pages about Temple Israel, its clergy, and upcoming occasions.
March 11: “Vengeance” album, gasoline runs, and posts
In the early morning on the day before the assault, he created a Facebook picture album he titled “Vengeance” and commenced filling it with photographs that included pictures of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the late Hezbollah Secretary-General Hasan Nasrallah.
One picture included Arabic textual content studying: “Burn their world, for we have a vendetta against them, and we will never forget.”
He additionally posted pictures of deceased members of the family, brothers, a niece, and a nephew, and exchanged messages with kinfolk that morning, in accordance with the FBI.
The water containers that he had ordered whereas on the gun vary arrived at 2:22 p.m.
By 2:45 p.m., he started loading and organizing his truck.
To keep away from drawing suspicion, he made 4 separate journeys to fuel stations to fill the containers, spreading out the journeys somewhat than going to fill them all of sudden, in accordance with the FBI.
While making these fuel runs all through the afternoon, he continued researching Temple Israel’s occasions on-line. By 6:30 p.m., he was posting pro-Hezbollah propaganda to social media, together with movies about his brother and content material claiming Israel is “the most violent country in the world,” the FBI stated.
Among the posts he shared that day was a press release from the Islamic Resistance of Hezbollah saying a army operation launched on March 11 referred to as “Al-’Asf Al-Ma’kool,” a time period from the Quran referring to the destruction of enemies and turning them into withered, useless leaves.
The submit included the logos of the Military Media of the Islamic Resistance and Lebanese Hezbollah. He additionally shared a meme that includes the precise verse from the al-Fil chapter of the Quran, which describes an analogous theme of destroying one’s enemies.
At roughly 9:40 p.m., he searched on-line for “what time is lunch at temple israel.” He later deleted this from his search historical past.
By 10:50 p.m., he made one final cease at a fuel station and purchased two torch lighters. Investigators imagine he used these to set his truck on fireplace through the assault.
March 12: The morning of the assault
During the early morning hours on the day of the assault, the attacker posted extra pictures of his deceased members of the family on Facebook and commenced leaving feedback on random Facebook profiles.
Those feedback, timestamped by investigators, included:
2:51 a.m.: “We will seek retribution for their sacred blood.”
3:05 a.m.: “Simo, Heaven is fortunate to have you.” (a reference to his brother)
6:24 a.m.: “Israel is a cancerous/malignant growth.”
6:28 a.m.: “Israel is pure evil.”
6:55 a.m.: “And the oppressors will soon know what kind of end they will meet.”
At 6:56 a.m., the FBI stated he searched on-line for extra rifle equipment.
At 7:20 a.m., he posted on Facebook and stated: “You killed the Ali and Hussein of our time, we will avenge their blood.”
He additionally added extra feedback throughout varied Facebook posts and continued importing photographs to his “Vengeance” album.
Between 8:45 and 9:52 a.m., he went on the web sites for a neighborhood firearms vendor and a sporting items retailer, and likewise looked for a double journal holster.
March 12: Attacker heads to Temple Israel
At about 9:18 a.m., the attacker left for Temple Israel.
He arrived at 9:58 a.m.
At 10:01 a.m., he despatched his sister a photograph of a receipt and stated, “$2,000 to dad.”
By 10:12 a.m., whereas sitting within the Temple Israel car parking zone, he posted 4 movies to Facebook that he had recorded whereas driving to the temple that morning.
In the background of every video, Arabic battle anthems performed, with themes centered on resistance, army defiance, and “the impending dawn,” in accordance with the FBI.
One minute later, at 10:13 a.m., he posted a photograph to his “Vengeance” album with the caption: “There is no need to learn Hebrew anymore.”
March 12: Messages to his sister from the car parking zone
Beginning at 10:34 a.m., whereas nonetheless parked exterior Temple Israel, the attacker despatched his sister abroad 19 movies, pictures, and messages over the course of roughly 10 minutes.
The communications spelled out his intent clearly: he deliberate to hold out a mass terrorist assault, and his motivation was rooted in Hezbollah ideology, in accordance with the FBI
Among the content material he despatched her:
A meme studying: “Jihad is a gateway to heaven; one that God opens to his chosen ones.”
A Quranic verse overlaid on a photograph: “For such He has written Faith in their hearts and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein. God will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of God. Truly it is the Party of God that will achieve Felicity.”
A video of himself sitting within the car holding his weapon whereas an anthem referred to as “This People Sends You a Call” performed within the background. The chant praised fighters from South Lebanon and people who die for the trigger. At the top of the video, he displayed his rifle and stated, “We rely on God.”
A second video with a chant encouraging followers to “bomb the enemies,” “bring death upon them,” and “invade and attack the enemies’ fortresses.”
A video of him listening to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem say “that listeners have one of two choices: victory or martyrdom.” Arabic textual content in yellow on the display learn: “I remain committed.”
A video through which he recorded himself driving whereas a battle tune performed, one referencing “slaughter and bloodshed” and declaring “it’s no time to draw back.” During the recording, he yelled “Allahu Akbar” and declared whole devotion to God, saying he was “answering the call to heaven.”
A photograph with a verse from the Quran on the prime saying: “the believers who are true to what they promised God; some have died for the cause, and some are still waiting but will never change.” There was textual content on the backside saying “Burn or ignite their world, for we have a vendetta that we will never forget.”
A meme through which he coated the Israeli flag with yellow paint and wrote the phrase “Party of God” or “Hezbollah” over it. Yellow is a shade generally related to Hezbollah symbolism, in accordance with the FBI.
His sister had requested him to cease sending the pictures and movies. He continued anyway.
March 12: 10 minutes before the assault
About 10 minutes before the assault, the attacker despatched his sister two closing movies.
In the primary, he stated in Arabic: “This is the largest gathering place for Israelis in the State of Michigan in the United States. I have booby-trapped the car. I will forcefully enter and start shooting at them. God willing, I will kill as many of them as I possibly can.”
Shortly after sending that, he despatched a short three-second follow-up video and typed the message: “A special operation.”
During the identical window of time, the attacker additionally exchanged 5 brief telephone calls along with his ex-wife.
His ex-wife then referred to as the Dearborn Heights Police Department and requested a welfare examine for him.
March 12: The assault
At 12:19 p.m., the attacker drove his truck into Door 5 of Temple Israel.
The FBI stated he hit it as soon as, repositioned his truck, then accelerated at a excessive fee of pace, touring about 200 toes down the hallway.
From 12:20 to 12:22 p.m., the attacker and Temple Israel safety guards exchanged gunfire. At roughly 12:22 p.m., the attacker appeared to set off the fireworks from contained in the car.
By 12:30 p.m., the car was on fireplace, and the hallway was crammed with smoke.
Aside from the attacker, there have been no different fatalities.
“We are very grateful that, aside from the assailant, there were no additional fatalities,” Runyan stated. “However, this evidence makes very clear the attacker intended to cause a significant amount of harm to the members and children present at Temple Israel that day.”
What investigators discovered
The FBI stated they discovered no proof of co-conspirators and stated there isn’t any data indicating an energetic risk to the group.
Runyan additionally addressed a number of factors of public concern and media hypothesis:
At the time of the assault, the attacker was not the topic of any prior FBI investigation and was not on the terrorist watchlist.
There is no proof he visited Temple Israel or carried out bodily surveillance of the synagogue before the assault.
There had been no extra improvised explosive units past the fireworks.
Based on the scale of the water containers, investigators now imagine the attacker used roughly 35 gallons of gasoline — not the 20 to 30 gallons beforehand reported — in an effort to amplify the fireworks he ignited contained in the truck.
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