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New York City officials are ramping up security and condemning what they called a “horrifying” act of antisemitic violence after a gunman rammed a truck into a Michigan synagogue and opened fire — an attack that has heightened concerns in the nation’s largest city amid an already tense threat environment.
A suspect died Thursday after ramming a truck into Temple Israel, a Reform Jewish synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and opening fire with a rifle.
The attack left one guard unconscious and the suspect’s truck engulfed in flames, prompting a large response from the FBI, ATF and local authorities, who swept the area with bomb-sniffing K-9s.
Law enforcement respond to a call at Temple Israel synagogue, Thursday, in West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams posted a strong reaction to the Michigan attack, emphasizing that the synagogue has an early childcare center and school.
“We must protect all our communities, from West Bloomfield Township to NYC, from violent hatred,” Williams wrote in a statement.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul described the Michigan incident as “a cowardly act of antisemitic violence.”
“Our Jewish neighbors should never have to fear worshiping in peace,” Hochul wrote on social media. “[New York State Police] will continue increased patrols at religious sites across the state.”
An active shooter was reported at the Temple Israel, a synagogue in Michigan on Thursday. (WJBK)
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A similar attack occurred Jan. 28, in New York City, where suspect Dan Sohail allegedly repeatedly rammed his vehicle into the headquarters of Chabad Lubavitch Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.
When Sohail arrived at the side entrance of the building, he allegedly moved protection barriers, moved congregants out of the way, and drove his car into the building’s side entrance four times.
While the doors were damaged, no injuries were reported.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who opposes the ongoing military strikes against Iran, described the Michigan shooting as “horrifying” on Thursday, adding his “thoughts are with the congregation and all who are shaken by this act of antisemitic violence.”
A general view shows the Chabad Lubavitch world headquarters, Thursday, Jan. 29, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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“I am continuing to closely monitor the situation,” Mamdani wrote in a statement on X. “Out of an abundance of caution, the NYPD will continue to deploy high-visibility patrols to Jewish religious and cultural institutions across the five boroughs.”
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) added it is continuing to track the situation in Michigan, noting an “overall heightened threat environment.”
Just weeks ago, there was a clash between dueling protests near Gracie Mansion, Mamdani’s official residence, and the mayor was criticized for his response.
Emir Balat runs after dropping an alleged IED at the feet of NYPD officers. He was arrested moments later, and the device failed to go off. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images ; U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York)
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An 18-year-old counter-protester named Emir Balat was arrested for allegedly lighting and throwing suspected explosive devices at a small group demonstrating against “public Muslim prayer.”
Following an initial escalation where a protester, affiliated with pardoned Jan. 6 rioter Jake Lang, used pepper spray, Balat threw an ignited device in the group’s direction. Balat then retrieved a second device from a 19-year-old identified as Ibrahim Nikk, lit it, and dropped it near NYPD officers as he attempted to flee.
The NYPD bomb squad examined the items, which were described as tape-wrapped jars containing nuts, bolts, screws and hobby fuses. No injuries were reported.
Following the New York City attack, Mamdani released a statement labeling Lang a “white supremacist,” alleging the protest was “rooted in bigotry and racism.”
People gather near Temple Israel synagogue, Thursday, in West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/Corey Williams)
He later went on to address the men accused of throwing homemade bombs, saying “violence at a protest is never acceptable.”
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Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo fired back at Mamdani’s response, claiming that while he believes Lang “is a far right extremist,” the bombs thrown by counter-protesters “literally would’ve done horrific damage.”
“The mayor puts out a statement condemning Jake Lang. I agree,” Cuomo said. “The second part of the statement condemns the terrorists. There is no moral equivalency. Jake Lang, bigot, hateful, of course. Yes, I agree. Terrorists who bring a bomb to kill people — they are not equivalent. This city has no tolerance for terrorism or attempted terrorists, and that statement has to be made loud and clear. There’s a passivity. I didn’t think we handled the attacks on the NYPD correctly.”