MANCHESTER — Two worshippers were killed and at least four others injured on Thursday morning when a man drove a car into a group of people and lunged at congregants outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in the Crumpsall area of north Manchester as worshippers gathered for Yom Kippur. Armed officers shot the attacker dead at the scene, and counterterrorism investigators opened a major probe.
Police later identified the assailant as 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent who lived locally, and said the suspect was wearing what initially appeared to be an explosive vest that was later declared nonviable by a bomb disposal team. Greater Manchester Police said three other people had been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences as inquiries continue into the motive and any wider network.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes at about 9:30 a.m. as congregants, including elderly worshippers, streamed toward the synagogue entrance for prayers. Volunteer security staff and members of the congregation moved quickly to protect people outside the building while emergency services responded within minutes. Police said prompt action by officers prevented further loss of life.
Inside the synagogue, leaders and security personnel played a decisive role. Rabbi Daniel Walker is being widely praised for locking and barricading the synagogue doors and shepherding worshippers away from the entrance, actions witnesses and multiple news outlets say prevented the attacker from gaining entry and likely saved many lives. Accounts say Rabbi Walker, despite being injured, continued to assist congregants until police secured the scene. British leaders singled out the bravery of on-site security and congregants.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer cut short an overseas engagement to return to London, denounced the assault as “vile,” and pledged increased protections for Jewish institutions while chairing an emergency security meeting. Starmer said the attack was motivated by hatred and vowed to step up police presence at synagogues and Jewish community sites. Israel’s government also condemned the attack and demanded stronger steps to confront antisemitism internationally.
The attack has prompted swift responses from Canadian political figures and Jewish communal organizations. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the assault “an appalling antisemitic atrocity” and expressed Canada’s solidarity with the victims and Britain’s Jewish community. Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said he was “horrified” by the murders and urged that those responsible be brought to justice.
National Jewish organizations in Canada also reacted. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said Jewish Canadians were “shocked and heartbroken” as they broke their Yom Kippur fast and confirmed communal networks had mobilized to support victims and monitor security needs. B’nai Brith Canada extended its deepest condolences and called for immediate, practical steps to strengthen protection for synagogues and Jewish schools. Several Canadian MPs, including Anthony Housefather, issued statements condemning the attack and pledging support for the Manchester community.
Local and faith leaders in Manchester described a city in mourning and praised the emergency services and synagogue volunteers. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and local council officials said support services would be made available to victims and families, and urged the public to allow detectives to complete forensic work without spreading unverified information. Several synagogues in the city suspended or altered Yom Kippur programming as a precaution.
Investigators said they were treating the incident as terrorism and were working to establish the attacker’s motive and any possible links to others. Police detained several people in the hours after the attack, and specialist counterterror teams were searching addresses connected to the suspect. Officials warned that details could change as forensic work and interviews proceed.
The assault has reopened deep concerns across Jewish communities in Britain and abroad about a rise in antisemitic violence in recent years. Communal leaders in the UK and Canada urged governments to convert sympathy into concrete measures: increased security resourcing for places of worship, faster intelligence sharing, and stronger policing of extremist networks. Jewish organizations also called for calm, communal solidarity, and an end to the circulation of unverified material that could hamper the police investigation.
Mourners gathered near the scene throughout the day. Religious leaders and survivors conveyed grief and defiance, remembering the victims and commending the swift, life-saving actions of Rabbi Walker and synagogue security. Community groups said they would support bereaved families and wounded worshippers and would work with British and international partners to press for long-term protections for Jewish life.
This article is based on verified information from Reuters, The Guardian, The Telegraph, ABC/Associated Press coverage, the Jewish Post, CIJA, B’nai Brith Canada, statements posted by Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre, and official Greater Manchester Police briefings.