The security guard injured during an armed antisemitic attack at a Michigan synagogue has been identified as longtime police officer Danny Phillips. Phillips, who serves as the Temple of Israel’s director of security, was on duty when a terrorist rammed through the front doors and opened fire, as reported by the Detroit News. Following the attack, Phillips was hospitalized.
Rabbi Jennifer Kaluzny expressed support for Phillips during Friday’s Shabbat observance, stating, “We are also sending our love and our prayers and our strength.” She described Phillips as an “amazing man.”
Before joining Temple Israel in June 2025, Phillips had a 28-year career with the Bloomfield Hills Police Department, where he served as an advanced firearm instructor and rose to the rank of lieutenant. His appointment at Temple Israel was part of a strategic move to enhance security measures in response to the increasing threats faced by Jewish communities.
Temple Israel implemented a comprehensive security plan under Phillips’ leadership, which included an in-house security team, metal detectors, hired guards, police presence, and even the use of drones during events such as the High Holiday services, according to Forward.
A Facebook post announcing Phillips’ appointment emphasized that the heightened security measures were aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone entering Temple Israel. The temple’s staff and clergy also underwent active shooter prevention and preparedness training led by an FBI official in January.
The swift and effective response of the security team likely prevented a tragedy, as hundreds of children were present in the temple’s preschool when the attacker, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, crashed through the doors. Phillips was the only one injured by the car and was rendered unconscious.
One of Phillips’ armed private security guards returned fire after Ghazali began shooting through his windshield inside the building. Ghazali later turned the gun on himself.
Senator Elissa Slotkin commended the security team’s actions, stating, “If they had not done their job almost perfectly, we would be talking about an immense tragedy here today with children gone.” Ghazali, a restaurant worker from Dearborn Heights, carried out the attack following the deaths of at least four family members, including a sibling, in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon. He reportedly contacted his ex-wife before the rampage, instructing her to care for their children.
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