A horrific car ramming and stabbing attack took place outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, on Thursday, October 2, as members of the Jewish community observed Yom Kippur, the holiest day in their calendar. The incident left two people dead and four others injured. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) declared a "major incident" shortly after 9:30 a.m. (0830 GMT), when officers were first called to the scene.

The attack involved a car being driven at pedestrians, along with at least one man, believed to be a security guard, being stabbed. Armed officers quickly responded, and shots were fired by GMP firearms officers at 9:38 a.m., just seven minutes after the initial reports. The North West Ambulance Service also declared a major incident, while police activated Operation Plato, the national protocol for responding to a "marauding terrorist attack," coordinating a multi-agency effort. A bomb disposal unit was initially deployed due to suspicious items found on the suspect, but these were later determined not to be explosive.

The perpetrator, identified as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, was armed with a knife and shot dead by police at the scene. GMP confirmed that Al-Shamie had no prior Prevent referrals. In connection with the attack, two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses.

Two individuals were pronounced dead at the scene, while four members of the public sustained injuries. Three were rushed to the hospital in serious condition due to a combination of vehicle impact and stab wounds, and a fourth later presented himself at hospital with an injury possibly sustained as officers intervened. Police emphasized that the attacker did not gain access to the synagogue itself.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the assault, calling it "appalling" and noting the timing on Yom Kippur made it "all the more horrific." He cut short a trip to an EU summit to chair a COBRA emergency committee meeting.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham described the event as a "serious incident," commending the swift police response while acknowledging the heightened anxiety within the Jewish community amid rising antisemitism. The Community Security Trust (CST) also denounced the "appalling attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year." The incident occurred just days before the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

Investigations are ongoing to formally identify the deceased and to determine the motive behind this horrific act. Crime scenes remain in place in Crumpsall and Prestwich as detectives continue their work.