Deadly Yom Kippur Attack at Manchester Synagogue: What We Know

On October 2, 2025, during Yom Kippur, worshippers gathering at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, faced a brutal terror attack. Around 9:30 a.m. local time, a man drove a car into pedestrians near the synagogue and then emerged wielding a knife. The assailant stabbed multiple victims before police intervened.

Officers responded swiftly. Within minutes, they fired upon the attacker, killing him on the scene. Authorities confirmed the device he wore—initially suspected to be an explosive—was fake.

Casualties, Identity & Arrests

Two people were killed, and at least three others were seriously injured. The victims have since been named as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66.

The suspect was Jihad al-Shamie, 35, a British citizen of Syrian descent. He had entered the UK as a child and gained citizenship in 2006. In addition, three others—two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s—were arrested in connection with the attack on suspicion of planning or supporting terrorism.

Among the investigation’s troubling details is that one of the people killed may have been struck by police gunfire; the initial examination revealed a possible gunshot wound.

Declaration & Response

Police have classified the incident as a terrorist attack. British authorities activated Operation Plato, the national protocol for major emergencies, including counterterrorism incidents.

Political and community leaders across the UK strongly condemned the attack. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “vile,” returned early from Denmark, and pledged heightened protections for the Jewish community. The Chief Rabbi of Britain also denounced the violence as “an attack on humanity.”

In the wake of the attack, security has been increased around synagogues nationally, and public concern about antisemitic violence has intensified.