WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich.—Michael Layne, a West Bloomfield Township resident who was a member of Temple Israel for years, was in Florida when he first heard it was involved in a terrorist attack.
“No surprise, whatsoever,” Layne told The Epoch Times on Friday of his initial reaction. He owned a home across the street from Temple Israel for 20 years.
“I’m surprised it has taken this long. It’s a scary world we live in now. To be Jewish, the antisemitism and threats of violence have been rising.”
Layne’s son had his bar mitzvah, a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony, at that synagogue.
On Thursday, police said a man drove his vehicle through the front doors of Temple Israel and down a hallway. Media reports said the vehicle was loaded with explosives. Police said that none of the staff or students were injured. Temple Israel has an Early Childhood Center. The driver of the vehicle was killed.
Layne called it “miraculous” that only the suspect was killed and was appreciative of the work of the synagogue’s security guards.
“If that car had detonated like the perpetrator wanted, this would have been a whole different story,” he said.
On Friday, Temple Israel was surrounded by yellow police tape. There were road blockades placed in front of the entrances, where police cars were parked. Another police car was parked in the parking lot of a private country club across the street.
Roman Smith works at Motor City Sports Cards, which is located in a strip mall less than a half mile from Temple Israel.
He was working when he heard numerous police sirens at about 11:30 a.m. on Thursday. Smith said he had never seen that many police cars coming down the road before and wondered, “What’s going on?”
“It is scary, really,” Smith told The Epoch Times. “It does affect me. I live not even a mile away from here. This is normally a peaceful place. What’s next, is the question.”
Smith said he was upset that someone would target a place of worship and a preschool.
“It’s disgusting,” he said.
Decky Alexander is the chair of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus. She has fundraised for LiveSecure, a $130 million initiative that pays for security measures at synagogues and is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of North America.
Alexander told The Epoch Times she believed Temple Israel paid for its armed security through the LiveSecure program.
“People come to my synagogue and say, ‘You have armed security?’ People think it’s ridiculous. Of course we do. I’m glad we take care of ourselves. That’s how I feel today. If we didn’t have security guards and pay for them, that could have been Sandy Hook.”
Temple Beth El, another synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, had orange construction cones blocking all entrances except the main one, which had a security guard in a truck.
Alexander said her Ann Arbor synagogue had live shooter training last week, during which they were taught how to best barricade doors and to learn all the exits.
The Zekelman Holocaust Center, located about six miles from Temple Israel, lamented the incident in a statement provided to The Epoch Times.
“We are heartbroken by the attack on Temple Israel and on our community. We pray for everyone’s safety, the recovery of the heroic security guard, and are thinking of the children, congregation, staff, and first responders,” the statement read.
“Though we do not know the motivation of the attacker, we call on all people—regardless of faith, background, or political belief—to join us in rejecting antisemitism and hatred in all its forms.”
West Bloomfield Township’s police department posted on Facebook on Friday that it has increased patrols.
“Following yesterday’s incident at Temple Israel, residents may notice an increased police presence throughout the community and around local businesses,” the West Bloomfield Township police said.
“These additional patrols are part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that everyone in our community feels safe and supported. Our officers will continue to remain visible and proactive in the area.”