MANCHESTER: Two people were killed on Thursday when a man drove a car into pedestrians and stabbed a security guard in an attack at a synagogue in England, where worshippers were marking Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, British police said.
Greater Manchester Police said the suspect, who was wearing a vest that appeared to be an explosive device, was shot dead after officers rushed to the scene at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall district of the city in northern England.
A video shared on social media, verified by Reuters, showed police shooting a man inside the synagogue’s perimeter, while another man lay on the floor in a pool of blood, appearing to wear a traditional Jewish head covering.
“He has a bomb, go away!” an armed police officer shouted to onlookers, just seconds before a gunshot rang out.
Neighbour Angela Crawshaw told Reuters she had seen three policemen aiming guns at a man in the car park of the synagogue, telling him: “Stay down, don’t move or we’ll shoot. Then they did shoot, and he fell to the floor. Then he tried getting up again and moving again, and they shot him again. And then it was just panic ... just noise and panic.”
A bomb disposal unit was later called to the scene, and a Reuters witness heard three small explosions. Police confirmed that one loud bang was specialist officers gaining entry to the suspect’s vehicle as a precaution.
Police said on Thursday that the suspect in the deadly attack was believed to be Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.
“We believe the person responsible for today’s attacks is 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie,” Greater Manchester Police said. “He is a British citizen of Syrian descent.”
Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officer, Laurence Taylor, said the attack had been declared a terrorist incident based on what investigators knew, and that two people had been arrested.
He said investigators believed they knew the identity of the attacker but were not able to confirm it yet.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer rushed away early from a European political gathering in Copenhagen to return to Britain to chair an emergency meeting.
He said additional police were being deployed to synagogues across the country.
Three in serious condition
As well as the suspect and two members of the public who were confirmed dead, three other people were in a serious condition.
After the attack, police were seen ushering a large group of mostly Jewish elderly men — some in tears, many looking shocked — away from the synagogue. Some were wearing white robes, others were in suits and wearing a skullcap.
Crawshaw said she saw about 30 people being taken out, including three young children.
“There were a large number of worshippers attending the synagogue at the time of this attack, but thanks to the immediate bravery of security staff and the worshippers inside, as well as the fast response of police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access,” said Stephen Watson, GMP’s Chief Constable.
King Charles said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” while the Israeli embassy in London said on X the attack was “abhorrent and deeply distressing”, and that it was in close contact with the Manchester Jewish community. A neighbour by the synagogue, Chava Lewin, said she was told that the car had been driving erratically before crashing into the gates of the building.
Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2025
