Victim killed in synagogue attack hit by police gunfire

One of two men killed in the Manchester synagogue attack was hit by police gunfire as armed officers attempted to shoot the attacker, police said.

Two men, Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz, died and three others remain in hospital after Jihad Al-Shamie rammed a car into people and stabbed others on Thursday.

Of those injured, one also suffered a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

The only shots fired during the attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue were by armed police as Al-Shamie did not have a firearm.

In a statement on Friday, Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said: "It is currently believed that the suspect, Jihad Al-Shamie, was not in possession of a firearm and the only shots fired were from GMP's authorised firearms officers as they worked to prevent the offender from entering the synagogue and causing further harm to our Jewish community.

"It follows, therefore, that subject to further forensic examination, this injury may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end."

Post-mortems are taking place on Friday, the Home Office said.

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Police said Al-Shamie was wearing what appeared to be "a vest which had the appearance of an explosive device" - but the force later confirmed it was not viable.

The attack, which police have said was a terrorist incident, came on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish religious calendar.

The attacker, who was shot dead at the scene, was a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who was not previously known to counter terrorism police, the home secretary told BBC Breakfast.

Shabana Mahmood said it was "too early" to say if there was a terrorist cell behind the attack.

The police investigation was "continuing at pace" and there was an increased police presence at synagogues across the UK, she said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria visited the synagogue, after he vowed to do "everything in my power" to protect Jewish communities in the UK.

They also visited Greater Manchester Police headquarters, where he gave a "very humble thank you" to emergency service workers who responded to the attack.

"It was a dreadful terrorist attack, to inflict fear," he said, adding that it was important the "whole country comes together to stand in support with the Jewish community".

"We must beat antisemitism - that is the responsibility of us all. We will rise to that challenge to ensure our Jewish community is safe and secure."

The UK's Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said the attack at the Heaton Park synagogue on Yom Kippur was the "tragic result" of an "unrelenting wave of Jew hatred".

"What transpired yesterday was an awful blow to us, something which actually we were fearing might happen because of the build up to this action," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

The attack was not only "a very dark time" for Jews in Britain "but for all of our society", he added.