A devastating attack occurred on Thursday morning in Manchester, England, claiming the lives of two individuals. The assailant used a vehicle to ram into people before proceeding to attack others with a knife outside a synagogue. Tragically, one of the victims died after being accidentally shot by police officers who were responding to the incident. The police also killed the attacker.
This horrific event took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, while congregants were gathered for services inside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue. In the wake of the attack, which has been officially labeled as terrorism, the British government immediately heightened security measures at Jewish institutions across the country.
Here’s what you need to know:
- What happened and where?
- What do we know about the attacker?
- Who are the victims?
- Was it a terrorist attack?
What happened and where?
The Greater Manchester Police reported receiving an emergency call at 9:31 a.m. on Thursday, indicating that a car had been deliberately driven into pedestrians and that several people had been stabbed.
An interactive map shows the site of the stabbing and the synagogue’s location in Manchester.
According to Chief Constable Stephen Watson, police officers swiftly responded, neutralizing the attacker within just seven minutes of the initial report.
An aerial image depicts the location of the incident, highlighting the proximity of the synagogue to where the suspect was shot.
Watson revealed that the attacker was found wearing what appeared to be an explosive vest, though authorities later confirmed it was not a viable device.
Eyewitness footage, verified by The New York Times, captured two armed police officers with their rifles aimed at the suspected attacker, who was on the ground outside the synagogue. In the video, an officer can be heard warning people to retreat, shouting, “He has a bomb.”
Moments later, as the individual on the ground seemed to attempt to rise, police fired at least one shot, causing the man to fall back down.
On Friday, Chief Constable Watson announced a critical development: a pathologist’s report confirmed that one of the two deceased victims had suffered a gunshot wound. Given that the assailant was not armed with a firearm, this indicated the fatal shot must have come from police officers.
Additionally, Watson stated that one of the three injured victims, currently hospitalized, had also sustained a gunshot wound.
What do we know about the attacker?
The attacker was fatally shot by armed officers and has been identified as Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.
Police noted that Mr. al-Shamie had not previously been identified as a threat by Prevent, Britain’s counterterrorism initiative. Investigators are still working to determine the motive behind his actions.
Three individuals—two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s—were arrested on suspicion of commissioning, preparing, and instigating acts of terrorism. These charges cover the planning of terrorist attacks within Britain, though their names have not been released.
Authorities confirmed that two residences linked to the attacker and the suspects were being searched: one in Crumpsall, near the synagogue, and another in Prestwich, approximately two miles away.
Who are the victims?
Police confirmed that two members of the Jewish community lost their lives in the attack, and three others remain in hospital.
The two men killed were identified on Friday by British police as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66. The specific victim who died from a gunshot wound was not immediately disclosed by authorities.
Was it a terrorist attack?
Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing in the United Kingdom, confirmed that the attack is indeed being treated as an act of terrorism.
The Greater Manchester Police initially activated specific protocols for armed officers and emergency services to handle major incidents, including what are termed “marauding terrorist attacks.” These protocols were later stood down.
Deciding whether an incident meets Britain’s legal definition of terrorism involves a thorough review of immediate information, as the definition encompasses violence perpetrated “for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause.”
This assessment typically involves examining various forms of evidence, including witness statements, electronic devices belonging to suspects, and their personal backgrounds, to ascertain if an ideological motivation was the driving force behind the attack, or if other factors were at play.