An armed attacker rammed a vehicle into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan on Thursday, driving through the building’s hallway before security personnel opened fire and killed him, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press.

The attacker was armed with a rifle when he drove his vehicle into one of the nation’s largest reform synagogues, located just outside Detroit. The vehicle caught fire after crashing into the building. No additional fatalities were immediately reported, though the incident sent shockwaves through the Jewish community and prompted a heavy law enforcement response to the suburban Detroit campus.

West Bloomfield Township sits in Oakland County, roughly 20 miles northwest of downtown Detroit. Temple Israel is a prominent congregation with deep roots in Michigan’s Jewish community, and the facility regularly hosts large gatherings of worshippers and community members.

The sequence of events, as described to AP, points to armed security at the temple acting quickly. The attacker drove the vehicle into the structure, the vehicle entered a hallway, and guards engaged him with gunfire before the situation could escalate further. The vehicle fire added another layer of danger and chaos to an already violent scene.

Federal law enforcement, including the FBI, was expected to be involved in the investigation given the nature of the target. Attacks on houses of worship have drawn federal scrutiny in recent years, and investigators would likely work to establish whether the attack constituted a hate crime or act of domestic terrorism.

The incident arrives at a moment of elevated concern about antisemitic violence in the United States. Advocacy organizations have tracked rising incidents of harassment, vandalism, and threats targeting Jewish institutions across the country. Physical attacks on synagogues, while still relatively rare, have proven devastating when they occur. The 2018 attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and the 2019 attack in Poway, California stand as grim reference points for security planners at Jewish institutions nationwide.

Many synagogues responded to those tragedies by investing in armed security, reinforced entrances, and coordination with local law enforcement. Thursday’s events in West Bloomfield suggest that investment may have prevented a far worse outcome. The security personnel who confronted and shot the attacker almost certainly stopped additional casualties.

Still, questions will follow. Investigators will want to know who the attacker was, what motivated him, whether he communicated his intentions beforehand through social media or other channels, and whether anyone else was aware of his plans. Authorities will also examine whether any warning signs went unaddressed.

For the congregation at Temple Israel, the psychological toll of Thursday’s attack will outlast the physical damage. Houses of worship are meant to be sanctuaries. When violence intrudes into those spaces, it strikes at something fundamental in how communities understand safety and belonging.

Local officials in West Bloomfield and Oakland County were expected to address the incident publicly as details continued to emerge. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and federal officials, including members of Michigan’s congressional delegation, had not yet issued formal statements as of the time of initial reporting, though responses were anticipated.

The broader Detroit metro area has a substantial and historically significant Jewish population, and community leaders were likely to respond with both grief and calls for vigilance. Organizations focused on Jewish community security, including those that provide training and resources to synagogues and other institutions, were expected to monitor the situation closely.

Law enforcement officials and the AP source did not immediately provide the attacker’s identity or additional details about the weapon or any communications he may have left behind.

The investigation was active and ongoing Thursday, with West Bloomfield Township police, county authorities, and federal agents working the scene. The full picture of what happened, and why, will take time to come together. What was already clear is that armed guards at a Michigan synagogue stood between an attacker with a rifle and a congregation, and they acted.