In a deeply disturbing incident on Thursday morning, four people sustained injuries from a vehicle ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue in Manchester, northwestern England. Authorities confirmed that the suspect involved in the assault was subsequently shot by police. The attack occurred at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, a significant event as it coincided with Yom Kippur, the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar, a detail Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted as particularly ‘horrific’ in his statement condemning the violence.
Eyewitness footage, verified by The New York Times, captured the tense moments as two armed police officers confronted the suspected attacker on the ground outside the synagogue. A victim lay seriously injured nearby. In the video, an officer can be heard instructing congregants to retreat, warning of a potential bomb. The suspect reportedly attempted to rise, prompting police to fire at least one shot, causing the individual to fall back to the ground. Police have confirmed the suspect did not breach the synagogue’s interior and have not yet verified the suspect’s condition or whether a bomb was indeed present.
The timing of the attack, during Yom Kippur services when synagogues typically see large attendance, amplified the community’s distress. Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham expressed his concern for the city’s Jewish community, acknowledging their heightened anxiety due to recent antisemitic incidents. He commended the rapid police response, noting that the suspect was reportedly shot within seven minutes of initial reports.
Greater Manchester Police received the first call at 9:31 a.m. from a public member witnessing a car driven into people and one person being stabbed. Armed officers arrived swiftly, engaging and shooting the suspect by 9:38 a.m. The North West Ambulance Service declared a major incident, providing immediate response to the four injured civilians, who suffered both vehicle-related and stab wounds.
Britain’s Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, responsible for national security, stated she was being kept abreast of the situation. She conveyed her profound shock, saying, ‘I am horrified by the news of an attack at a synagogue in Manchester today, on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. My first thoughts are with the victims, our brave police and emergency services.’