Arizona Representative Alma Hernandez (D-AZ) is calling out political leaders across the country following a shocking attack at a Michigan synagogue on Thursday, arguing that inflammatory rhetoric from elected officials contributes directly to acts of violence against Jewish communities.
Rep. Hernandez posted a response on X after news broke of the incident at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, where a gunman rammed his car through the synagogue's front doors before exchanging gunfire with security guards.
The suspect was later found dead inside the vehicle, which caught fire following the attack. A member of the security team was struck by a car and transported to a hospital for treatment.
Authorities confirmed no other injuries.
Hernandez's Call to Action
Hernandez did not hold back in her statement, directing blame at lawmakers she believes have helped create the conditions for such violence.
"Houses of worship should never be a place where we feel fear," she wrote. "The same elected officials saying they are 'praying' and thinking of those impacted are the same damn people who cause this."
She connected the attack to what she described as a broader culture of hostility. "The hate and anger that continue to target our communities grow from the same division & hostility that too often plague our public discourse regarding Israel," Hernandez wrote. "When rhetoric fuels resentment and dehumanization, it creates an environment where violence becomes more likely."
More on the Attack
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed agents were on the scene of what he described as an "apparent vehicle ramming and active shooter situation." Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told reporters the suspect breached the facility by driving through the front doors before engaging security.
All children from the temple's onsite preschool were safely evacuated. Nearby Bloomfield Hills schools were placed in secure mode as a precaution.
Temple Israel is one of Michigan's largest Reform Jewish congregations.
"This is why we cannot be silent. Now more than ever, we must speak out clearly and consistently against antisemitism, hatred, and extremism in all forms," Hernandez concluded.
