London: Two people died after a car ramming and stabbing incident at a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday morning (UK time).
A third person, the suspect, was shot dead by cops, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed a few hours later amid fears he was carrying explosives. Three other persons are in a serious condition.
The Metropolitan Police, which is in charge of counter-terrorism operations in the UK, declared later in the day that the incident was being treated as terrorism.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the most senior counter-terrorism officer, told reporters that police believe they know the attacker’s identity. There have been two arrests linked to the attack, but no details were given.
The attack unfolded at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in a suburban neighborhood of Manchester shortly after 9.30 am, as services were beginning. Witnesses said a car rammed into the synagogue gates before the driver emerged with a knife.
According to CNN, police received a call at 9.31 am from a witness who reported seeing a vehicle ramming into the synagogue gates before the driver emerged with a knife. One man was stabbed during the attack.
⚠️ The Moment Armed 🇬🇧 Police Shot The Synagogue Attacker – Distressing Footage
The incident, which has reportedly injured four people, is being treated as a terror attack by officials, according to the Telegraph. According to the mayor, the attack took place on people attending… https://t.co/FtuOeypXir pic.twitter.com/YZDfy3rAuz
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) October 2, 2025
Armed officers who arrived at the scene within minutes shot the suspected attacker.
Targeting Yom Kippur services day
It’s significant that the attack took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Jewish calendar.
There was a large gathering at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Middleton Road in Crumpsall, north of Manchester city centre, for Yom Kippur services. During this time, faith leaders conduct religious services throughout the day as practising Jews engage in introspective prayer, seeking forgiveness or expressing regret for sins committed during the past year.
Chava Lewin, who lives nearby, was quoted as saying that she first thought a bang she heard was a firework. “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,” she said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack, and announced that additional police forces will be deployed at synagogues nationwide.
“The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific. My thoughts are with the loved ones of all those affected,” Starmer said in a post on X.
Starmer is rushing back to the UK from a security meeting of European leaders in Copenhagen to chair a Cobra committee meeting, according to PA Media. The Cobra committee is a cross-departmental government group convened during situations of national emergency.
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham called it a “serious incident” and urged the public to stay away from the area.
“Obviously what we would all want to recognize is how people in our Jewish community will be feeling right now. I can only imagine how people are feeling when they hear this news, the fear that that will bring,” Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester.