Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Apologizes for Remarks on Synagogue Attack

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed issued an apology to the Michigan Jewish Democratic Caucus on Saturday after remarks he made following a March attack on a Detroit-area synagogue were criticized as justifying the violence.

El-Sayed told reporters, "My comments may have been misconstrued to justify something I did not mean to justify. To anyone who feels like my comments might have been hurtful, I’m really sorry. That was not my intention." He added that his earlier attempt to provide context for the attacker’s motives was ill-timed and that he does not wish to diminish anyone’s suffering.

The attack in March involved a driver ramming a car into Temple Israel in a Detroit suburb and opening fire on a security guard before taking his own life. The perpetrator, Ayman Mohammad Ghazali, had lost four relatives in an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon the week before. El-Sayed’s earlier video response referenced the phrase “hurt people hurt people,” which critics said implied justification for the shooter’s actions.

The apology comes as El-Sayed seeks to consolidate support after a contentious primary that saw him defeat Rep. Haley Stevens, while he prepares to face Republican nominee Mike Rogers in the November election that could affect Senate control.