WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A member of the Jewish synagogue where a car crashed into and shots were fired on Thursday spoke with Local 4, describing the scene.
The crash and shooting happened at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, near the intersection of Walnut Lake and Drake roads, on March 12.
--> Police called to ‘active shooting’ after truck crashes into Jewish synagogue in West Bloomfield
The congregation member, Lisa, was not in the temple at the time of the crash and shooting, but knows a social worker who’s in the building, has close friends there and knows people who have children at the temple’s daycare.
“I’m scared to death for my friends,” Lisa said. “I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve never seen this number of police out here. My first thought, to be honest, were the children. There’s a whole daycare program in there. Parents and grandparents have been coming, and they’re scared to death for their children. I’m standing here to make sure my friends are okay.”
“This is senseless; we have to be better than this,” she continued. “This is not okay. I want everyone to be okay.”
What happened
Michigan State Police said an “active shooting incident” happened early Thursday afternoon, March 12, 2026, at the Temple Israel at 5725 Walnut Lake Road in West Bloomfield Township, near the intersection of Walnut Lake and Drake roads.
Police sources believe a truck intentionally crashed into the building and then caught fire. The smoke at the scene is from that vehicle.
No information about possible injuries has been revealed.
Temple Israel is a Jewish synagogue that has a preschool and a large congregation. Police have asked everyone to avoid the area.
Police update
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard and West Bloomfield police Chief Dale Young spoke at 1:35 p.m. about what happened.
“It appears at least one individual came to the temple, security saw him, engaged him in gunfire,” Bouchard said. “The scene, we’re not getting any active stimulus at the moment. We have everything here that we need, including medics and tactical gear. We’re looking to see if there’s more than one person. We’re trying to figure that out.”
Everyone is asked to shelter in place for at least a mile radius from the synagogue, Bouchard said.
There are no known injuries at this time, other than possibly the shooter, according to police.
“We don’t have that person in custody,” Bouchard said.
He said the situation is a work in progress, and that’s why they’re asking people to shelter in place. Anyone who has nothing to do with the situation is asked to stay away from the area.
Everyone has been moved out of the school, and reunification will be at the JCC, Bouchard said. Parents can go there to pick up their kids.
Police aren’t sure yet if this was a terrorist attack. They said it’s still too early in the investigation.
All Jewish facilities in the area are going to have a lot of extra presence until this situation is figured out, according to Bouchard.
Schools on lockdown
Schools in the area are on lockdown.
“We have been alerted by the West Bloomfield Police Department of a police situation in the community,” the West Bloomfield School District said in a statement.
A member of the synagogue who was not there at the time of the crash told us she believes preschool was in session Thursday.
Police response
Local 4 has confirmed officers from Plymouth, Bloomfield Hills, Farmington Hills, Michigan State Police, and several ambulances are at the synagogue.
Police are also at other places of worship in the area, they confirmed.