Two people have died and a suspected terrorist has been fatally shot by armed police after a car was driven at pedestrians and a person was stabbed outside a synagogue in Manchester. The attack occurred on Thursday morning outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Middleton Road in Crumpsall, during Yom Kippur - the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed three other people remain in a serious condition following the incident. A bomb disposal unit was deployed to the scene after footage appeared to show the suspect had explosive devices strapped to him.
The force declared "Plato" - the national codeword used when responding to a marauding terror attack. Armed police shot the suspect dead at 9.38am, though confirmation of his death was initially delayed due to safety concerns about suspicious items on his person.
Prime Minister responds
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was "appalled" at the attack and announced that "additional police assets" would be deployed at synagogues across the country. He is flying home early from a meeting in Denmark to chair a Cobra emergency meeting.
"The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific," Starmer told reporters.
The King said he and the Queen were "deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific attack in Manchester, especially on such a significant day for the Jewish community." The Prince and Princess of Wales also expressed their thoughts for the victims and families.
Witness accounts
A witness who lives next door to the synagogue described how the suspect began "stabbing anyone near him" immediately after getting out of his car. Chava Lewin said she heard a banging sound and initially thought it might be a firework before her husband ran inside shouting about a terrorist attack.
"She thought maybe he had a heart attack. The second he got out of the car he started stabbing anyone near him. He went for the security guard and tried to break into the synagogue," Lewin said.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham told the BBC one of the victims appeared to be a security guard who had been attacked with a knife. Someone barricaded the synagogue door as the attacker tried to break in, leaving everyone in "utter shock."
Police response
Police received the initial call at 9.37am from a witness who reported seeing a car driven towards members of the public and a man being stabbed. A major incident was declared immediately, with dozens of police vehicles, fire crews and ambulances responding to the scene.
Armed officers in combat fatigues carrying machine guns secured the area around the synagogue. A loud explosion was heard as specialist teams gained entry to the suspect's vehicle as a precautionary measure.
Video footage shared on social media showed police pointing guns at someone on the ground outside the synagogue before a gunshot was heard. Another person was seen lying motionless near the synagogue gates.
Wider investigation
Police activity extended beyond the synagogue, with a street around a quarter of a mile away becoming the focus of intense investigation. A resident on White House Avenue reported seeing two men in handcuffs being led away by police, though their connection to the incident remains unclear.
Local hospitals across Greater Manchester were reportedly placed on lockdown following the major incident declaration. The Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism in the UK, branded it an "appalling attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year."
The Israeli embassy condemned the violence, stating that "such an act of violence should be perpetrated on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, in a place of prayer and community, is abhorrent and deeply distressing."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
