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Police admit they accidentally shot a synagogue worshipper dead in Manchester attack

Author
AFP,
Publish Date
Sat, 4 Oct 2025, 8:22am
Police tents cover parts of the scene on the main road outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, following an attack at the synagogue yesterday. Photo / Paul Currie, AFP
Police tents cover parts of the scene on the main road outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, following an attack at the synagogue yesterday. Photo / Paul Currie, AFP

Police admit they accidentally shot a synagogue worshipper dead in Manchester attack

Author
AFP,
Publish Date
Sat, 4 Oct 2025, 8:22am

UK police have said they shot two victims, including one who died, as officers responded to an attack on worshippers at a Manchester synagogue marking a Jewish holiday. 

The admission came as Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was booed at a vigil for the victims, with emotions running high a day after the atrocity. 

At the gathering to remember the two victims 鈥 named by police as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66 鈥 people could be heard chanting 鈥渟hame on you鈥 as Lammy was introduced. 

Three people were also seriously wounded, including one of those who was shot by police, in Thursday鈥檚 car-ramming and stabbing attack, which have heightened fears for Jewish communities across Britain. 

鈥淭his was a dreadful attack, a terrorist attack to inflict fear, attacking Jews because they are Jews,鈥 Prime Minister Keir Starmer told a group of emergency responders in the city in northwest England. 

Security has been boosted at synagogues nationwide after the events at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest holiday of the Jewish calendar. 

Flowers and a tribute featuring a bee, and a Star of David, are pictured near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester. Photo / Paul Currie, AFPFlowers and a tribute featuring a bee, and a Star of David, are pictured near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester. Photo / Paul Currie, AFP 

Police shot dead the attacker, named as Jihad al-Shamie, a UK citizen of Syrian descent who was on bail for an alleged rape, within minutes of responding to calls that a car had ploughed into people and a security guard had been stabbed. 

On Friday (local time), the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Stephen Watson, said an interior ministry pathologist had 鈥減rovisionally determined that one of the deceased victims would appear to have suffered a wound consistent with a gunshot injury鈥. 

Noting the attacker was not believed to have had a gun, and that 鈥渢he only shots fired were from... authorised firearms officers鈥, Watson said the injury 鈥渕ay sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence鈥 of officers responding to the attack. 

He added that the condition of the victim who was wounded by gunshot was not life-threatening. 

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) watchdog said it is investigating 鈥渁 fatal police shooting鈥 to establish what had happened. 

Safety priority 

Watson said both gunshot victims 鈥渨ere close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry鈥. 

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria react as they visit the scene outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue. Photo / Paul Currie, AFPBritain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria react as they visit the scene outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue. Photo / Paul Currie, AFP 

Shamie, 35, had worn a vest holding an apparent explosive device, but it was not functional, police said. 

The force have arrested three people 鈥 two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s 鈥 on suspicion of terrorism-linked offences. 

The targeted synagogue鈥檚 leaders said Friday 鈥渋t is hard to find the words to convey the depth of our community鈥檚 grief鈥. 

Their statement added 鈥渢he greatest tribute鈥 to the victims 鈥渨ould be for communities right across the country to come together in peace and solidarity, to challenge the evil of antisemitism鈥. 

Daulby鈥檚 family described him as a 鈥渉ero鈥 whose courage 鈥減revented the attacker from gaining access to the premises鈥. 

Manchester United football club was to hold a minute鈥檚 silence in honour of the victims at a game on Saturday. 

The suspect was seen trying to get into the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the Crumpsall suburb of Manchester, England.The suspect was seen trying to get into the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the Crumpsall suburb of Manchester, England. 

It was one of the worst antisemitic attacks to happen in Europe since the October 7, 2023 assault on Israel led by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which sparked the war in Gaza. 

That conflict has inflamed passions in Britain, with frequent pro-Palestinian rallies in cities criticised by some for stoking antisemitism and fear in Jewish communities. 

鈥楯ew hatred鈥 

A 鈥済lobal movement for Gaza UK鈥 protest went ahead in London late Thursday, with police making 40 arrests. 

London鈥檚 Metropolitan Police requested organisers delay another planned demonstration backing the banned Palestine Action group on Saturday, but have so far been rebuffed. 

Interior minister Shabana Mahmood said Thursday鈥檚 rallies were 鈥渄ishonourable鈥 and criticised the weekend plans. 

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Friday echoed criticism of the UK Government, saying on LBC radio it appeared to tolerate 鈥渢his very brutal, aggressive and violent behaviour on the streets鈥. 

Before visiting Manchester on Friday, Britain鈥檚 Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the attack was the 鈥渢ragic result of Jew hatred鈥. 

鈥淔or so long we have witnessed an unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, on campuses, on social media and elsewhere,鈥 he said on X. 

- Paul Currie with Joe Jackson in London, Agence France-Presse 

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