Police Suspected of Accidentally Shooting Victim in UK Synagogue Attack

Two worshippers were killed and three others injured during an attack on a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur. The assailant, a 35-year-old Syrian-born British citizen, drove into pedestrians and attacked with a knife before being shot dead by police. Authorities later revealed one victim may have been accidentally killed by police gunfire. The incident, declared a terrorist act, is under investigation, with three additional suspects arrested.

A Jewish worshipper who died during the attack on a Manchester synagogue on Thursday may have been killed by police gunfire, according to an official statement issued on Friday. Authorities explained that during the chaotic emergency response, one of the individuals who was wounded was also struck by police fire, raising serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The incident unfolded at the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, while worshippers were observing Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The attack left two people dead and three others seriously injured, plunging the local Jewish community into shock and grief.

Officials identified the attacker as a 35-year-old man originally from Syria who had become a British citizen. He reportedly rammed his car into pedestrians outside the synagogue before exiting the vehicle and launching a violent knife attack. Armed police responded quickly to the unfolding situation and shot the assailant dead at the scene.

Greater Manchester Police later stated that it now appears one of the victims may have been killed accidentally by police gunfire, as the attacker himself was not armed with a firearm. GMP’s chief constable, Steve Watson, expressed deep regret over the development, describing the death as a “tragic and unforeseen consequence” of the urgent and decisive action officers were forced to take in order to prevent further loss of life and stop what he described as a “vicious” attack.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has begun an investigation to determine exactly what happened during the police response.

Authorities named the two victims who were killed in the antisemitic attack as Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz. Meanwhile, the three survivors who sustained serious injuries remain hospitalized and are continuing to receive treatment.

Police have declared the incident to be an act of terrorism. Laurence Taylor, chief of Counter Terrorism Policing, said investigators believe the attacker may have been influenced by Islamist ideology, although a clear motive has not yet been confirmed. Taylor added that the suspect had not been on the radar of counterterrorism authorities but did have a criminal record, including a recent arrest for rape.

In connection with the case, Greater Manchester Police also confirmed that three individuals had been taken into custody. They were described as two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s, all of whom are being held on suspicion of commission, preparation, and instigation of acts of terrorism.

The attack, occurring on such a sacred day for Jews around the world, has been widely condemned as a devastating blow to the Jewish community and has raised urgent questions about both public safety and the challenges police face when responding to acts of terror.