HAMILTON, Canada

US President Donald Trump conveyed his "love" for the Jewish community after an attack Thursday on the Temple Israel synagogue in the US state of Michigan.

"I want to send our love to the Michigan Jewish community and all of the people in the Detroit area following the attack on the Jewish synagogue earlier today," Trump said at a Women's History Month event at the White House.

Calling the incident a "terrible thing," he affirmed that he has been "fully briefed."

"We're going to be right down to the bottom of it," he said.

The synagogue was targeted by a suspect who was killed after authorities said he drove a vehicle into the building before a fire broke out inside the worship space, which also houses a preschool.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard declined to characterize the incident as terrorism, saying the suspect's identity had not yet been established and the investigation is preliminary.