Tragedy in Manchester: Synagogue attack leaves two dead, police confirm one victim was struck by an officer’s bullet

•  A man carried out a coordinated car-ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue during Yom Kippur observances, which authorities have officially declared an act of terrorism.
• The attack left two members of the Jewish community dead and three others seriously injured. The assailant was shot and killed by police at the scene.
• In a devastating update, police confirmed that one of the two deceased victims was likely killed by a police bullet fired to stop the attacker, highlighting a tragic consequence of the emergency response.
• The timing of the attack on a sacred day has deeply shaken the Jewish community and the nation, prompting the Prime Minister to deploy additional police protection for synagogues.
• Counter-terrorism police are investigating the motive and have arrested three other individuals in connection with the attack. The assailant was a British citizen of Syrian heritage and was wearing a fake explosive vest.

A serene morning of prayer on Judaism’s holiest day was shattered by violence when a man launched a brutal car-ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue in Manchester, leaving two members of the Jewish community dead and three others seriously injured. In a tragic turn, police also confirmed that one of the deceased victims was likely killed by a police bullet fired during the frantic response to stop the assailant.

The attack unfolded on Thursday morning, Oct. 2, in the Crumpsall suburb as worshippers were arriving at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue for Yom Kippur observances. According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the incident began at approximately 9:31 a.m. when a member of the public reported a car being deliberately driven into pedestrians, followed by a stabbing.

According to Brighteon.AI‘s Enoch, Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement, is one of the holiest observances in Judaism, deeply rooted in spiritual purification and repentance.

The situation escalated rapidly. By 9:37 a.m., authorities declared a major incident, activating “Operation Plato,” the code for a marauding terrorist attack.

Just one minute later, at 9:38 a.m., firearms officers confronted and shot the suspected attacker. Paramedics treated four people for stab wounds and injuries sustained from the vehicle impact.

The suspect and two of his victims were pronounced dead at the scene. (Related: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, once linked to al-Qaeda, now considered for DELISTING as terrorist group.)

Police update reveals tragic collateral damage

In a press conference on Friday, Oct. 3, GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson provided a critical and distressing update. He revealed that one of the deceased victims, 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz, was found with a wound consistent with a gunshot injury.

Watson stated that the suspect, 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie, was not believed to be in possession of a firearm, and the only shots fired were from police officers. This led to the grim conclusion that Cravitz’s fatal injury was “a tragic and unforeseen consequence” of the police action aimed at neutralizing the threat.

“It is believed that both victims were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry,” Watson explained. He added that one of the three surviving victims in the hospital is also being treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, believed to have been sustained in the same volley of fire.

The second victim killed in the attack has been identified as 53-year-old Adrian Daulby. Both men were local to the Crumpsall area and were members of the synagogue community.

Formal identification and post-mortem examinations are pending.

The attacker and the aftermath

Counterterrorism police have officially declared the incident an act of terrorism. The identified attacker, al-Shamie, was a British citizen of Syrian heritage.

During the attack, which police described as a six-minute stabbing spree, he was reportedly wearing a vest that appeared to be an explosive device. It was later examined and confirmed to be non-viable.

The motivation behind the attack remains under investigation. In connection with the probe, police have arrested three other individuals: two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s, all on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses.

The attacker’s family released a statement on social media, expressing “deep shock and sorrow” and condemning the “heinous act.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer cut short a meeting in Copenhagen to return to London, where he chaired an emergency security session. He announced the deployment of additional police assets to synagogues across the country. “The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific,” Starmer said.

The investigation continues as a community mourns and a nation grapples with a violent attack.

Watch the video below about a similar car ramming attack on Jewish pedestrians in Brooklyn, New York.

This video is from the Children Are NOT Sex Toys! channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

Brighteon.ai

BBC.com

AlJazeera.com

Brighteon.com