Security guard injured in Michigan synagogue car ramming ID’d as longtime police officer who spent 28 years working for the Bloomfield Hills Police Department.
Security guard Danny Phillips, who was injured during the Temple Israel attack, previously spent 28 years working for the Bloomfield Hills Police Department. Temple Israel
The security officer wounded in a violent attack at a Michigan synagogue has been identified as Danny Phillips, a veteran law enforcement professional.
Phillips was serving as the director of security at the Temple of Israel when an armed assailant attempted to attack the congregation on Thursday, according to the Detroit News. The suspect drove into the building and opened fire, targeting the preschool area where dozens of young children were present. Phillips was injured and hospitalized during the incident.
During Friday’s Shabbat service, Rabbi Jennifer Kaluzny expressed support for Phillips, saying, “We are sending our love, our prayers, and our strength to Danny. He is an amazing man.”
Before joining the synagogue, Phillips spent 28 years with the Bloomfield Hills Police Department, rising to the rank of lieutenant and serving as the department’s advanced firearms instructor. He began his role at Temple Israel in June 2025, a move the synagogue said was part of a broader effort to strengthen security in response to threats facing Jewish communities.
Phillips oversaw a comprehensive security system at Temple Israel, which included in-house guards, metal detectors, private security personnel, police cooperation, and even drone surveillance during major events like High Holiday services. When his appointment was announced, the synagogue stated that the measures were intended to ensure that everyone entering the building “feels safe, supported, and seen.”
Staff and clergy at the temple had undergone active shooter preparedness training earlier this year, led by an FBI official. That training, and the robust security setup, likely prevented a far worse outcome when Ayman Mohamad Ghazali forced his way into the synagogue. Phillips was struck by Ghazali’s vehicle and briefly lost consciousness, but other armed security personnel returned fire as Ghazali fired from inside the building.
Ghazali eventually turned the gun on himself. Sen. Elissa Slotkin credited the synagogue’s security for averting a major tragedy, saying, “If they had not done their job almost perfectly, we would be talking about an immense tragedy here today with children gone.”
Authorities reported that Ghazali, a restaurant worker from Dearborn Heights, carried out the attack days after at least four of his relatives, including a sibling, were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. He also reportedly contacted his ex-wife shortly before the attack, telling her to care for their children.
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