Armed police officers stand with their weapons inside a Police cordon near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, England, on October 2, 2025.

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Shane Croucher

By Shane Croucher

Senior Editor

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The U.K.'s Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say they may have shot two victims in the synagogue attack by accident, one of whom died after receiving a bullet wound, as officers took down the suspect before he could gain entry to the building.

"It is believed that both victims were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry," said Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson in a statement.

The attacker, named as Jihad Al Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead by police at the scene. He had stabbed a person before trying to gain entry to the busy synagogue armed with the knife and what appeared to be an explosive belt.

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An image from an eyewitness video showing the alleged suspect in the synagogue attack in Manchester, England, on October 2, 2025. The suspect was shot by police who feared he had a bomb strapped to him.

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What to Know

GMP's Watson said a forensic examination provisionally determined that one of the dead victims had a gunshot wound.

Al Shamie did not have a gun, he said, and therefore "this injury may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence" of police actions.

He said one of the injured victims also appears to have been shot, but is not in a life-threatening condition.

An armed police officer speaks to member of the public near the scene of the stabbing incident at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue, in Crumpsall, Manchester, England, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

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Synagogue Attack Victims Named

The two victims of Thursday's attack have been named as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66. Both men were from the Crumpsall area of Manchester.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, a friend and neighbor of Cravitz said: "oh my God. Melvin is a lovely, lovely bloke. I can’t fault him."

"He’s one of my best friends and his wife Karen. They are lovely people. This is all so horrible. We’re in utter shock," she added.

Members of the Jewish community comfort each other near to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue, in Crumpsall, Manchester, England, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

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'Unrelenting Wave of Jew Hatred'

The attack took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the head of Orthodox Judaism in Britain, said in a post on X: "This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come.

"For so long we have witnessed an unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, on campuses, on social media and elsewhere—this is the tragic result."

Armed police officers stand with their weapons inside a Police cordon near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, England, on October 2, 2025.

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Calls to Cancel pro-Palestinian Protests

Political and religious leaders have called for pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the coming days to be canceled.

Some argue the protests, which have been held regularly since the war in Gaza began nearly two years ago, have played a role in spreading hatred of Jews, and that chants such as "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" incite violence.

Others state the demonstrations are supporting a ceasefire to end to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and release the hostages on both sides.

Police in London urged organizers to cancel a protest against the banning of the group Palestine Action due to take place on Saturday. Organizers have refused.

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