Shooter killed after driving car into Detroit synagogue with preschool

hollydolly

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The shooter who drove a truck carrying explosives into a Michigan synagogue with an attached preschool has been killed, officials say.

The truck caught fire after 'something ignited' when the gunman smashed into the Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township on Thursday.

A man armed with a rifle was found dead inside the vehicle, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said. Law enforcement sources said his body is 'badly burned' but provided no further details.

Sheriff Bouchard previously confirmed that synagogue security engaged in gunfire with the suspect after he drove into the building.

Emergency responders also found a 'large amount of explosives' in the back of the vehicle, a law enforcement source told CNN.

Investigators are still working to identify the shooter and a possible motive for the attack, a source told the Associated Press.

No students or staff were injured in the attack. Parents sprinted into the building to find their children after getting approval from police.

A security guard was taken to hospital after being struck by the vehicle but is expected to recover.

Early reports from the scene suggest the vehicle deliberately plowed into the children's early learning center. Authorities are investigating whether multiple assailants were involved in the attack.

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Parents carry their children away from the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, on Thursday after a gunman drove a truck into the building
Images obtained by WDIV show a large police presence on the scene with smoke coming out of windows and a vent on the roof.

Scores of police vehicles from neighboring departments, a SWAT team, bomb technicians and bomb-sniffing dogs have responded to the scene.

The synagogue is a reform Jewish place of worship that was open at the time of the attack. It has one of the largest congregations in the country.

'He breached the building, drove down the hall, and he was engaged by security,' Bouchard said of the armed assailant. 'We can't say what killed him at this point, but security did engage the suspect with gunfire.'

The sheriff said the suspect appeared to be alone in the vehicle and police dogs were checking the car for explosives.

'It's been complicated because there's some fire, to say the least, with that vehicle.'


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Sheriff Bouchard said law enforcement had been on high alert since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran nearly two weeks ago.

'We've been talking for two weeks about the potential, sadly, of this happening,' he said. 'So there was no lack of preparation.

The sheriff added: 'All Jewish facilities in the area are going to have a lot of extra presence around it until we figure this out.'

The Jewish Federation of Detroit has advised all Jewish organizations in the area 'to go into lockout protocol - nobody in or out of your building.'

FBI Detroit led an Active Shooter Attack Prevention and Preparedness (ASAPP) training for the clergy and staff of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield in late January, nearly two months before Thursday's attack.
 
Now Trade, is this your friendly Islam? Driving a car into a synagogue with preschool?

Considering we bombed one of their schools and killed 175 little kids it sounds like they are going for some of that old testament Eye for an Eye justice. That's just not fair is it!? They should be turning the other cheek like good Christians would!
 
you're correct but more importantly if this is an attack by Islamists then they have taken revenge on innocent children. These children didn't bomb their school.... didn't bomb their children, so to attack little innocent tots in revenge is another level of evil!
True.

And unless I missed something, the attack that killed school children in Iran was a tragic accident.
 
If that's the case then Israel and the US are very much in the wrong.
From what I've seen, Israel is usually in the wrong.
and the U.S. never should have become involved in the first place. But that does not give 'the powers that be' (government) the right to put Americans in danger- especially our military that has already lost lives during this mess.
 
Considering we bombed one of their schools and killed 175 little kids it sounds like they are going for some of that old testament Eye for an Eye justice. That's just not fair is it!? They should be turning the other cheek like good Christians would!
Besides, didn't we EXPECT to see acts like this. We are almost certain to see more
 
you're correct but more importantly if this is an attack by Islamists then they have taken revenge on innocent children. These children didn't bomb their school.... didn't bomb their children, so to attack little innocent tots in revenge is another level of evil!
Are we not familiar with how they think - RE: The 911 attack on the Twin Towers? Were there not children there as well, and knowing how they think, why would we suddenly expect any different? This is what they do, not only when 165 girls are killed, but especially when their entire infrastructure and much of their major cities has been destroyed. Being as we already know they are bad people, why would we expect otherwise?
 
Are we not familiar with how they think - RE: The 911 attack on the Twin Towers? Were there not children there as well, and knowing how they think, why would we suddenly expect any different? This is what they do, not only when 165 girls are killed, but especially when their entire infrastructure and much of their major cities has been destroyed. Being as we already know they are bad people, why would we expect otherwise?

We, the US, went on a revenge tour after 9/11 as I recall. And Iraq bore the brunt of it in spite of the fact that zero of the 19 hijackers were from Iraq.
 
We, the US, went on a revenge tour after 9/11 as I recall. And Iraq bore the brunt of it in spite of the fact that zero of the 19 hijackers were from Iraq.
Your classification, "revenge tour" apparently refers to the war that started in 2003 from a lie about nuclear weapons in Iraq. No, I did not recal the nationality of the hijackers. I'm otherwise not clear on the point you're making. In the big picture, terrorists think alike in staging terrorist events, so we will most likely expect terrorist acts on our soil that would not have occurred had this war in Iran not started.
 
Years ago when before I had ever heard of terrorism. A guy was talking about some news event where terrorists dragged children and a teacher out of a school, stood them up against the wall, and knee capped the entire group with machine guns. That was horrifying to me. I asked, "Why would anybody do that?" His answer was, "Because they are terrorists." He said it like that was the only explanation needed, which explained nothing to me and didn't even define the word 'terrorism.'

That was my introduction to terrorism. Senseless horror, without an objective. Today, I kind of understand it as the main strategy in a war to convert the world to the most inhuman side of Islam. What else can you do when you are outgunned? You sneak in and slaughter innocents, and then disappear, until your enemy prays to Alla, puts women in their place, or dies in fear.

Years ago the US created laws against terrorism. I'm not sure why laws against murder weren't sufficient. The thing that makes terrorism so spooky to me is not being able to understand how this is considered to be a glorious act in the name of a god. It seems more like pure homicidal lust, which I can understand a little better. Some people are drawn to that. Terrorism is an outlet and justifies the inhuman needs in sick people.

Maybe I've got it all wrong. It doesn't matter. It is what it is, and it is part of our lives.
 
We had early learning as youngsters with the terrorism caused by the Irish IRA in the 60's and throughout the 70's ... and the horrors they caused in the UK... absolutely horrific, and the worst was they were being provided arms by the USA... among other countres... to kill and maim the people of Northern Ireland and the UK :cautious:
 
We had early learning as youngsters with the terrorism caused by the Irish IRA in the 60's and throughout the 70's ... and the horrors they caused in the UK... absolutely horrific, and the worst was they were being provided arms by the USA... among other countres... to kill and maim the people of Northern Ireland and the UK :cautious:
I didn't know the US had a part in that. I thought it was just someone else's religious war. I'm sorry about that.
 
I didn't know the US had a part in that. I thought it was just someone else's religious war. I'm sorry about that.
Bless you.. no need for you to apologise but thank you .. It's like this same Iran war.. it's the governments who caused the problems... and the people who suffer for it..

I'm not going to say any more much as I'm tempted, because of course it will lead to a political and religious discussion, .. unfortunately..
 
The shooter not only had ties to the Middle East but had suspected Hezbollah ties with 2 brothers being members and probably the reason for the Israeli airstrike. Doesn't rationalize his actions though.

What we know about the car ramming attack on a Michigan synagogue

Heard a 2019 trip to the Middle East should've garnered more scrutiny but was written off as just a normal visit.

He did seem to know what to do or activate a plan less than two weeks after the start of US and Israeli operations in the region. His vehicle was said to contain explosives and/or had a chemical substance in it. Some first responders had to be treated for hopefully was only smoke inhalation.
 
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The USA did not officially provide arms to the IRA, but some weapons were smuggled from the US by IRA supporters. These arms were used in the IRA's campaign against British forces in Northern Ireland and occasionally targeted England.
Wikipedia PBS

U.S. Involvement in IRA Arms Supply​

Historical Context​

The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) began importing firearms and explosives in the early 1970s to support its armed campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland. During this period, the IRA sought modern weaponry, which led to significant arms procurement efforts.

Sources of Arms​

The IRA primarily obtained weapons from two main sources:
  • United States: The IRA's gunrunning network in the U.S. was largely managed by George Harrison, who facilitated the purchase of arms, including Armalite rifles. It is estimated that over 2,500 guns were acquired from the U.S. during the 1970s. However, U.S. federal agencies, particularly the FBI, worked to disrupt these activities, leading to a decline in arms trafficking by the late 1970s.
  • Libya: In the 1980s, the IRA received substantial support from the Libyan government, which provided large quantities of modern weaponry, including heavy machine guns, rifles, and explosives. This support was crucial for the IRA's operations, especially after U.S. sources became more restricted.

Conclusion​

While the U.S. did not officially provide arms to the IRA, sympathizers and gunrunners in the U.S. facilitated the procurement of weapons. The IRA's operations were significantly bolstered by arms from Libya, especially in the 1980s, which were used in their campaigns, including bombings in England.
 
The USA did not officially provide arms to the IRA, but some weapons were smuggled from the US by IRA supporters. These arms were used in the IRA's campaign against British forces in Northern Ireland and occasionally targeted England.
Wikipedia PBS

U.S. Involvement in IRA Arms Supply​

Historical Context​

The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) began importing firearms and explosives in the early 1970s to support its armed campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland. During this period, the IRA sought modern weaponry, which led to significant arms procurement efforts.

Sources of Arms​

The IRA primarily obtained weapons from two main sources:
  • United States: The IRA's gunrunning network in the U.S. was largely managed by George Harrison, who facilitated the purchase of arms, including Armalite rifles. It is estimated that over 2,500 guns were acquired from the U.S. during the 1970s. However, U.S. federal agencies, particularly the FBI, worked to disrupt these activities, leading to a decline in arms trafficking by the late 1970s.
  • Libya: In the 1980s, the IRA received substantial support from the Libyan government, which provided large quantities of modern weaponry, including heavy machine guns, rifles, and explosives. This support was crucial for the IRA's operations, especially after U.S. sources became more restricted.

Conclusion​

While the U.S. did not officially provide arms to the IRA, sympathizers and gunrunners in the U.S. facilitated the procurement of weapons. The IRA's operations were significantly bolstered by arms from Libya, especially in the 1980s, which were used in their campaigns, including bombings in England.
Please do not get me started on this... it will cause both of us to get banned from the forum.... what you msutn't do is believe the official narrative.. we know exactly who was providing the arms to the IRA who caused terror to the whole of the UK for many years
 
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