Two Extremist Attacks On U.S. Soil: Michigan Synagogue & Virginia University Targeted
MICHIGAN SYNAGOGUE ATTACK
A man armed with a rifle drove a pickup truck through the front doors at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan at around 12:30pm Thursday, according to police. A security guard shot and killed the driver. Authorities say no staff or children attending the synagogue’s preschool were hurt, but one security guard was injured in the attack.
What we know: Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said “at least one individual came to the temple, security saw him, engaged him in gunfire.” The driver rammed the pickup truck, which was reportedly loaded with a type of explosive, through the door and down the hallways.
The fire: Aerial footage showed black smoke billowing from one of the doors and from the roof of the synagogue. Law enforcement sources say they’re looking into whether the driver released some sort of explosive projectile after ramming the building.
Temple Israel: Located about 25 miles from downtown Detroit, it’s one of the largest Reform synagogues in the country. It is home to a preschool, Jewish museum, and hosts a food pantry for the community.
The synagogue, like most Jewish organizations and schools, has a large security presence, including armed guards.
HOURS EARLIER, ISIS-LINKED SHOOTING
A gunman opened fire Thursday morning at Old Dominion University in Virginia, killing one person and wounding two others. The gunman is dead.
The shooter was identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, of Sterling, Virginia. NBC News reports that Jalloh was previously convicted of providing material support to ISIS. He was recently released from prison.
Jalloh is a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone. He traveled abroad multiple times attempting to join ISIS.
He reportedly stormed into a classroom inside the school’s Constant Hall and asked if it was an ROTC class. When someone confirmed that it was, he opened fire, shooting and killing the professor.
An unidentified cadet quickly jumped into action and stabbed Jalloh to death.
BOTTOM LINE: These types of “lone wolf” attacks are a major security concern and can be hard to stop.
A lone wolf attack is an act of violence committed by an individual operating independently, without direct support from an organized terrorist group or network. These people are often radicalized quickly online.
Case in point, over weekend in NYC, police say two young men inspired by ISIS threw IEDs at an anti-Islam protest. In Austin, a shooter who killed people outside a bar earlier this month, appears to have been inspired by the Islamic Republic. There have been multiple shootings at synagogues in Toronto over the last week.
BEHIND THE CHANGE
Last week, as Republican members of Congress gathered for a retreat in Florida, White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair and Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) urged lawmakers to change their messaging on immigration, Axios reported.
The shift follows the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis and accusations that agents are prioritizing arrest quotas instead of targeting serious criminals. There’s also pushback from the courts about a lack of oversight and potential constitutional violations. Polling suggests public frustration is growing.
A Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos poll from last month found 58% of Americans say the Trump administration’s deportation strategy has gone too far — eight points higher than last fall.
Politico polling from January found that 1 in 5 Trump voters called his mass deportation campaign too aggressive.