At least two worshippers were killed and several others were injured on Thursday in a vehicle-and-knife assault outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester’s Crumpsall area, as police opened fire on a suspected attacker during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Authorities deployed bomb-disposal specialists after “suspicious items” were found near the suspect, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer cut short a trip and convened an emergency COBRA meeting, saying additional officers were being sent to protect synagogues across the UK.

What Happened

Greater Manchester Police said they were called shortly after 9:30 a.m. to reports that a car was driven toward congregants and that a man was stabbed outside the synagogue. Firearms officers arrived within minutes and shots were fired at 9:38 a.m.; a man believed to be the offender was shot. Police said confirmation of his death was delayed due to safety concerns about suspicious items on his person. Witnesses said the attacker appeared to wear a bomb vest; he did not enter the facility before he was stopped.

Government Response

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “on [his] way back to London” to chair COBRA and that “additional police assets are being deployed to synagogues across the country,” adding: “We will do everything to keep our Jewish community safe.”
Starmer also said he was “horrified” by the attack, and his office confirmed he would leave a European summit to return to the UK. King Charles III said he and the Queen were “deeply shocked and saddened” and offered condolences, praising the “swift actions of the emergency services.”

Victims And Scene

Police initially reported multiple victims being treated for injuries caused by both the vehicle and knife. The force later confirmed at least two fatalities. Emergency services secured the area around the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Crumpsall and called in explosives specialists due to items found near the suspec