Fri Oct 03 20:40:00 UTC 2025: **Tragedy in Manchester: Synagogue Attack Leaves Two Dead, One Victim Possibly Killed by Police Fire**
**Manchester, England** – A terrorist attack at the Heaton Park Congregation synagogue in Manchester on Thursday has left two men dead, with authorities investigating the possibility that one of the victims was accidentally killed by police gunfire during the response.
The attack unfolded when Jihad al-Shamie, 35, a British citizen of Syrian descent, rammed his car into people outside the synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, before embarking on a stabbing spree. Police fatally shot al-Shamie within minutes of the attack.
On Friday, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson revealed that a post-mortem examination indicated one of the deceased suffered a gunshot wound. Since the attacker was unarmed, Watson stated that the injury “may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end.” The victims who died in the assault were identified as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66.
The police confirmed that the individual shot was standing close to another person who was also hit by a bullet but survived. These individuals were attempting to prevent al-Shamie from entering the synagogue.
The Al-Shamie family issued a statement condemning the attack as a “heinous act” and expressing their “deep shock and sorrow.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as antisemitic, stating that the attacker targeted Jews “because they are Jews.” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed that al-Shamie arrived in Britain as a child and was granted citizenship in 2006. He was not previously known to security services.
Counter-terrorism police have arrested three individuals in connection with the attack, including two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s. Police are also searching two homes in the Manchester area.
The attack has heightened concerns about rising antisemitism, and extra police patrols have been deployed across Manchester. The government has criticized pro-Palestinian activists for refusing to postpone a planned demonstration in London, arguing it would strain police resources.
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