Chaos Outside Synagogue
Worshippers had gathered for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, when a car came hurtling towards them outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester. It was just after morning prayers when panic erupted. People screamed and ran for cover as the vehicle ploughed through the crowd before coming to a stop near the entrance.
The driver, later identified as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, got out clutching a knife and tried to force his way into the synagogue. Witnesses described scenes of “absolute horror” as members of the community fought to hold the doors shut while others called for help. Within minutes, armed police had arrived at the scene.
A Chilling Call To Police
As emergency services rushed to respond, Al-Shamie made a call to 999 himself. Calmly, he told the operator he had “killed two Jews in the name of the Islamic State”. The line went dead soon after. When officers confronted him, he continued to lash out before being shot dead at the scene.
Two men were fatally wounded during the rampage. They were later named as Melvin Cravitz, aged 66, and Adrian Daulby, aged 53. Mr Daulby was reportedly caught in the crossfire as police tried to bring the chaos under control. Several others were injured, including worshippers and passers-by who had been walking nearby.
Community In Shock
By the afternoon, the normally quiet streets around Heaton Park were sealed off behind a heavy police presence. Members of Manchester’s Jewish community gathered outside in silence, some still wearing prayer shawls from the morning service. One man, still visibly shaken, said he had seen “children crying and parents frozen in disbelief”.
Chief Constable Stephen Watson described the incident as a “horrific act of violence that struck at the heart of our community”. Officers from the Counter Terrorism Policing North West unit confirmed that the attack was being treated as a terrorist incident inspired by extremist ideology, though no formal links to any group had yet been verified.
A Troubled Past
It later emerged that Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent, had been on bail at the time of the attack while under investigation for an unrelated offence. Police are now examining his background, online activity, and possible radicalisation over recent months. Six people have been arrested across the city as detectives work to determine whether anyone helped plan or encourage the assault.
Standing Together
As night fell, candles were lit outside the synagogue. Messages of solidarity poured in from across the country, with community leaders urging unity in the face of hate. “This was an attack on peace itself,” one rabbi said quietly. “But we will not let fear define us.”
For many, the tragedy has left lasting scars — not only on those who were there that morning, but on a city that prides itself on its resilience.
