A deadly Manchester synagogue attack on Yom Kippur left two dead and four injured after a suspect, Jihad Al-Shamie, rammed a car into pedestrians before being shot by police.
Details of the Heaton Park Yom Kippur Incident
The Heaton Park Yom Kippur incident occurred Thursday around 9:30 a.m. outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. The assailant drove a car into a crowd and then attacked people with a knife.
Two men, Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed in the assault. Four other people sustained injuries during the attack.
The suspect, who wore a fake explosives belt, was killed by armed police at the scene. Police later stated one deceased victim and one hospitalized person suffered gunshot wounds likely from police gunfire.
Suspect Identified in Manchester Synagogue Attack
Authorities identified the attacker as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who had no prior criminal record. The investigation into the Jihad Al-Shamie suspect Manchester case is ongoing.
Al-Shamie entered the UK as a child and became a citizen in 2006, living with his family in the suburb of Prestwich. A neighbor, Geoff Halliwell, described him as “a straightforward, ordinary lad.“
In connection with the attack, police arrested three other people on suspicion of preparing or commissioning acts of terrorism. The individuals included two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s.
Keir Starmer on Terror Attack Declaration
London’s Metropolitan Police officially declared the incident a terrorist attack, though the attacker’s exact motive remains under investigation. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on terror attack response called the assault a “vile terrorist attack that attacked Jews, because they are Jews.“
He pledged to protect the Jewish community, stating, “To every Jewish person in this country: I promise that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security you deserve.“
Concerns Over UK Antisemitism Rise
The UK antisemitism rise has been a growing concern, with incidents reportedly soaring after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The Community Security Trust reported over 1,500 antisemitic incidents in the U.K. in the first half of the year, the second-highest figure on record.
Starmer also commented on the trend, stating, “Antisemitism is a hatred that is rising, once again. Britain must defeat it, once again.“
