Michigan synagogue shooter Ayman Mohamed Ghazali shared photos of relatives killed in Israeli attack before attack

A man attacked a synagogue in Michigan and was shot to death after the incident. Investigators said he shared photos of children killed in Israeli airstrikes shortly before the attack.The attacker, identified as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, drove a car into the Israeli temple on Thursday. After he attempted to carry out the attack, synagogue security guards confronted him and opened fire. Ansari died on the spot.Authorities said the synagogue houses a kindergarten and about 140 children and staff were in the building at the time. No children were injured in the incident.Investigators later examined Ansari’s phone and online activity and found that he had shared images showing children killed in Israeli attacks shortly before the attack. The posts, widely shared on messaging platforms, appeared to reference casualties from recent Israeli military operations in the Middle East.Ayman Mohamed Ghazali comes from Mashgara, a small town in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. The official said Israeli airstrikes killed his two adult brothers, as well as his niece and nephew, Sky News reported.Law enforcement officials also said Ansari recently lost several relatives in Israeli air strikes in Lebanon. Those deaths may have contributed to his actions, according to investigators, but authorities said the full motive remains under investigation.Following the incident, police sealed off the synagogue and searched Ansari’s home as part of the investigation.Jewish institutions in parts of Michigan increased security following the attack. The presence of security personnel inside the synagogue prevented the situation from becoming more serious.Ghazali is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Lebanon who entered the United States on May 20, 2011 as the spouse of a U.S. citizen on an IR-1 immigrant visa. He applied for citizenship in October 2015 and was naturalized in February 2016. Ghazali lives in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, and works locally, including in the restaurant industry.