Summary

  1. Tributes paid to synagogue attack victims, as more details on attacker come to lightpublished at 22:36 BST 3 October

    Freya Scott-Turner
    Live reporter

    three bunches of flowers on a pavementImage source, Getty Images

    It's a day on from the deadly attack on a synagogue in Manchester and new information has been emerging throughout Friday.

    Before we close our live page, here's a quick summary to bring you up to speed with the latest:

    The victims are named: Tributes have been paid by the families of the two men killed in Thursday's attack - Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66.

    Daulby was remembered as a "lovely, down-to-earth man" and a "hero", while Cravitz, who was a security guard, was honoured as "kind, caring" and "devoted" to his family.

    They have both been commended by authorities for their efforts in preventing the attacker from gaining entry to the synagogue.

    New information on the suspect: 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie had been arrested for rape and was on police bail when he carried out the killings, police say.

    This comes as the head of counter-terrorism police says they believe Al-Shamie may have been "influenced by extreme Islamist ideology", and that the force now has a total of six people in custody in relation to the attack.

    An investigation has been launched: The police watchdog says it is examining "the use of lethal force by Greater Manchester Police" yesterday and the "circumstances surrounding the fatal police shooting of Jihad Al-Shamie".

    Police believe that Daulby's injury may have been sustained "as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by our officers".

    Rabbi describes seeing "evil and hate": Rabbi Daniel Walker was leading prayers when his synagogue was attacked and describes seeing "evil and hate" as a man tried to batter his way inside.

    Deputy prime minister heckled: Labour's David Lammy was heckled by some of the crowd at a vigil for the attack victims, before saying "we stand in solidarity with the Jewish people".

    We're ending our live coverage for the day. But you can read more with these stories:

  2. Man Utd and Chelsea hold minute's silence at football matchpublished at 22:18 BST 3 October

    A women's football team wearing red shirts, black shorts and socks, stood in a line in front of packed stands holding one another. A few look up, the rest look down solemnlyImage source, PA Media

    A minute of silence was held to mark the attack this evening at the Women's Super League fixture between Manchester United and Chelsea.

    The action was held at Greater Manchester's Progress with Unity Stadium to honour the victims of Thursday's attack.

    Yesterday, both Manchester City and Manchester United football clubs posted messages of condolence in response to the attack.

  3. Analysis

    The IOPC always investigates fatal shootings by officerspublished at 21:38 BST 3 October

    Daniel De Simone
    Investigations correspondent

    Attacks formally described by police as a "terrorist incident" lead to major inquests and inquiries, which pore over the relevant events and detail of police processes.

    Fatal police shootings result in inquests, usually with juries, and that’s also the case when the person shot dead is an attacker responsible for killing people.

    A selfie of a man who is sitting down in a hospital. He is looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a beige polo shirt and wearing a black and is wearing what appears to be a white knitted kufi hat.Image source, Facebook
    Image caption,

    The attacker has been named as Jihad Al-Shamie - a British citizen of Syrian descent who was shot dead by police

    The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), always investigates fatal shootings by officers, with the first purpose for such investigations being to establish the facts of what happened.

    In this case, we now know that one of the deceased victims of the attack was shot by police as they responded to the attacker Jihad Al-Shamie. He was shot and died.

    Another victim of the attack also suffered a gunshot wound, which police say is “mercifully not life threatening”.

    Greater Manchester Police have said it is believed that both the victims who were shot were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry.

    The force today have said it is believed the attacker 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”.

    Three forensic officers wearing white overalls and masks remain at the scene near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue. A tent has been erected and a police cordon is in place"Image source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Forensic officers working at the scene near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue

    The IOPC opened an investigation at midday yesterday, following information that the attacker was shot by police.

    "It is our role when police fatally shoot a member of the public to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the watchdog has said in a statement.

    Ballistics experts are currently examining how many shots were fired and how many officers discharged their weapons.

    Investigators will be considering how the gunshots that hit the attack victims came to do so, including whether they were shots which missed their intended target or struck the two victims having already hit their intended target.

  4. IOPC to investigate use of lethal force by Greater Manchester Policepublished at 21:12 BST 3 October
    Breaking

    The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) "is investigating the use of lethal force by Greater Manchester Police firearms officers", it says in a new statement.

    The investigation will focus on the "circumstances surrounding the fatal police shooting of Jihad Al-Shamie", it says.

    IOPC Director Emily Barry says there are "measures in place" to ensure it doesn't get in the way of police investigations.

    She adds that the IOPC is required to ensure there is "an independent investigation to understand the circumstances that have led to the use of lethal force by armed police".

  5. Explosive device on attacker was fake - policepublished at 20:56 BST 3 October

    The statement from Greater Manchester Police also gives more information on what happened in the lead up to yesterday's attack.

    “We have been told from witness accounts that a man was seen acting suspiciously outside the synagogue before he was confronted by security and walked away," Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing says.

    This was not reported to the police. “Around 15 minutes later, the individual returned in a vehicle and began his horrific attack," Taylor says.

    "A suspicious device that was attached to his torso was assessed and we can confirm it was a fake."

    They have arrested three more people, one man and two women, ages between 18 and mid-40s.

    Police will be seeking warrants to further detain all six people who are now in custody, he adds.

    Taylor stresses that the investigation is still in its early stages, and discovering the full circumstances will "take some time".

    He urges people to avoid speculation as inquiries continue.

  6. Attacker influenced by extremist ideology - policepublished at 20:49 BST 3 October
    Breaking

    Greater Manchester Police has just put out a new statement.

    The head of Counter Terrorism Policing says they believe the attacker, Jihad Al-Shamie may have been "influenced by extreme Islamist ideology".

    The statement adds that they have now arrested three more people, bringing the total number of people in custody to six. They have been "arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism", the statement says.

    We'll bring you more from this statement shortly.

  7. 'We've lived here in peace for many years. We hope that can carry on'published at 20:35 BST 3 October

    Ewan Gawne, Jonny Humphries & Katherine Bainbridge

    David Elkouby, who is an Orthodox Jew, stands in the middle of a road on a wet day wearing a black jacket and white polo shirt.
    Image caption,

    David Eklouby

    Zippi, who lives near to the synagogue on Middleton Road, told BBC Radio 5 Live she and her children regularly walk down the road to visit family on Friday nights.

    She said they "don't feel welcome" in the area, and that she will now "rethink whether there's a future for us as a family".

    "My five-year-old asked me yesterday, when we had four helicopters above our heads all day, he said 'is this what happens every Yom Kippur?' I said no, this isn't normal."

    "You have to try and explain to them that this isn't the norm and this isn't the way we should be living."

    However, David Eklouby, an Orthodox Jewish man who also lives close by who is part of a security group based in Broughton, said: "To be honest with you I do feel safe, but that's only because we have a lot of support from our neighbours around us."

    "We’ve been here for many years, we’ve lived in peace for many years, and we’re hoping that we will be able to carry on like that and this shouldn’t happen again."

    You can read more in our news story.

  8. More police to be deployed in Jewish communities across London this weekendpublished at 20:19 BST 3 October

    As we've been reporting, policing in London will be stepped up this weekend at Jewish locations across the city, to "reassure and protect" Jewish communities, Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner Mark Rowley said a little earlier.

    An extra 350 Met police officers will be on patrol this weekend, he confirmed.

    There will "understandably" be heightened safety concerns, and in the aftermath of attacks like this, there can be a risk of copycat attacks or reprisals, he added.

    A police officer cannot be deployed at "every synagogue and every Jewish school day in, day out", but the force will "tip resources" to where the greatest risks are, Rowley said.

    "We don't have unlimited resources" he answered, when asked if this extra protection would stay in place for the long term.

  9. Manchester synagogue attack: What you need to knowpublished at 20:02 BST 3 October

    A woman hugs a female police officer.Image source, Reuters

    What happened:

    The attacker:

    The victims:

    Today's vigil:

  10. Intense police activity at a house in Boltonpublished at 19:44 BST 3 October

    Jonny Humphries
    Reporting from Manchester

    We've been hearing from residents in Central Avenue, Bolton - which is part of Greater Manchester - about intense police activity in a house.

    Since around 21:00, police vehicles, search teams and large liveried Tactical Aid Unit vans have been coming and going, and it has recently been confirmed it is related to the investigation over the synagogue attack.

    This is a long, leafy street with semi-detached houses set back from the road.

    While I was outside, the flashes of police cameras were visible in upstairs rooms, while officers carrying metal cases of some kind of equipment could be seen going into the front door.

    Media caption,

    Watch: Doorbell footage shows police arriving at Central Avenue

    We are expecting more details to be confirmed shortly, but locals have not been told what is happening.

    One neighbour told me: "It is concerning, my partner before asked one of the police officers if it was safe, if we were going to be safe, and they said it was. But it doesn't fill you with confidence when you don't know what it is."

  11. Family of Melvin Cravitz pay tribute to 'kind, caring' manpublished at 19:23 BST 3 October
    Breaking

    Melvin Cravitz in a black jacket and white shirtImage source, MELVIN CRAVITZ

    The family of Melvin Cravitz, 66, who died yesterday, has released a statement remembering him as a "kind, caring" person, who "would do anything to help anyone".

    He "always wanted to chat and get to know people", it says. "He was devoted to his wife, family and loved his food", and he will be "sorely missed" by his wife, family, friends and community.

    It ends with a request for the family's privacy as they try to come to terms with "this shocking loss".

    Sharing the statement, Greater Manchester Police says Cravitz was working as a security guard at the synagogue at the time of the attack and "courageously stopped the attacker from entering the building".

  12. Pro-Palestinian protest group urges Met Police to 'deal with actual terrorism'published at 19:01 BST 3 October

    The group organising a pro-Palestinian demonstration in London tomorrow has said the Metropolitan Police should "deal with actual terrorism".

    In a post on X, the organisation, Defend Our Juries, also said that Saturday's event is a "peaceful vigil in opposition to genocide. Always has been".

    The group has been criticised by figures including the prime minister, the home secretary and the chief commissioner of the Met Police, for its decision to go ahead with the protests.

    In a statement yesterday, Defend Our Juries urged the Met to "prioritise protecting the community" rather than arrest those "peacefully holding signs".

    The group is demanding the government overturn a ban on Palestine Action, which was proscribed by the government as a terrorist organisation in July, and an end to "UK complicity in genocide".

  13. Starmer urges protesters to 'respect the grief of British Jews' this weekpublished at 18:54 BST 3 October

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives a statement on some tarmacImage source, Getty Images

    A "minority" have used pro-Palestinian protests "as a pretext for stoking antisemitic tropes", the PM has written in an opinion piece for the Jewish Chronicle, external today.

    Jewish people have lived with "hatred and violence" for thousands of years, Sir Keir Starmer writes, and it has "shamefully reared its head afresh in our communities" over the past few years.

    Starmer pledges in the piece that the government will take action to guarantee Jewish security - through a more visible police presence in places of worship, schools, and transport hubs.

    "I know that planned protests over the weekend... will cause distress" he writes.

    While "there is justified concern about the suffering in Gaza", Starmer urges protesters to "respect the grief of British Jews this week".

    "This is a moment of mourning", he adds, "not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain".

  14. Pro-Palestinian rallies tomorrow risks heightened 'community tension', says Rowleypublished at 18:39 BST 3 October

    Mark Rowley stands in a gold and wooden synagogue wearing a white shirt and black tie

    The timing of a pro-Palestinian demonstration planned tomorrow risks sending "a message, whether inadvertent or deliberately" that "endorses antisemitism", Sir Mark Rowley, Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Force says.

    "There's a deep risk to community tension" he says, adding that he has appealed to the group organising the rally - Defend Our Juries - to "have some common sense and some decency".

    Both Rowley and the Home Secretary have expressed concern that the Met's ability to deploy police resources where they're needed across London is "to some degree compromised" if officers also have to go to tomorrow's planned demonstration.

    As we've been reporting, police have also been deployed to guard synagogues and other Jewish institutions in the wake of yesterday's attack.

  15. There has never been a week like this for Britain's Jewish communitypublished at 18:29 BST 3 October

    Jonathan Josephs
    Live reporter

    As the sun sets tonight, Jewish families across the UK and around the world will do what they do every Friday night, light the shabbat candles.

    On one level they are meant to illuminate the world with positivity but for many they will burn a little less brightly this week - as they remember Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz.

    For those of us who turn their phones off for 25 hours it will be a pause on the frenetic messaging of the past day, as everyone checked on each other.

    Many of the messages I’ve received have used the word ‘horrific’ and ‘scary’ and questioned the safety of our community.

    Traditionally, Friday night is a time to be spent with family, catching up and reflecting on the week but for Britain's Jewish community there has never been a week like this.

    What happened in Manchester is the sort of attack that Jewish people across the UK have been fearing for years - and it is why security is taken so seriously at synagogues, schools and Jewish events.

    And there will be extra security for those attending shabbat services tonight and tomorrow - it is already routine for unknown visitors to be questioned by security before entering.

    Whilst the police and security services reassess the threat, so too will many Jews across Britain, as they think about their safety, while sitting around the shabbat table.

  16. It's almost something that's been waiting to happen, Manchester Jewish community member sayspublished at 18:08 BST 3 October

    Katherine Bainbridge
    Reporting from Manchester

    A family of three, a mother and a son and a daughter, stand in a park under a blue umbrella

    Anna, whose husband is a community rabbi in St Anne's, attended the vigil in Crumpsall with her children on Friday afternoon.

    "You could feel the tension in the air building since October 2023; it's almost something that's been waiting to happen," she says.

    On the impact of this attack, she says: "The Jewish population is small in size - we feel like a family, and someone has hurt us".

    Anna says she hopes "the government will do something about rising antisemitism".

    "People are feeling like it's like pre-1930s Nazi Germany here," she says, before adding "and I am starting to feel that way myself".

  17. Synagogue attacker was on bail for rape - police sourcepublished at 17:51 BST 3 October
    Breaking

    Synagogue attacker Jihad Al-Shamie had been arrested for rape and was on police bail when he carried out the killings in Manchester, a police source tells BBC News.

    “Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was arrested on suspicion of rape. He was currently on bail at the time of yesterday's attack. He was not charged with the rape,” the source says.

  18. Adrian Daulby's injury may have been sustained 'as a tragic and unforeseen consequence' - GMPpublished at 17:31 BST 3 October
    Breaking

    As part of the statement released by Greater Manchester Police a short while ago, the force says that while formal identification of Adrian Daulby's body is yet to take place, it is currently believed that the injury "may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by our officers to bring a vicious attack to an end".

    GMP says Adrian Daulby's family are "being supported by specialist officers at this time".

  19. Family of Adrian Daulby pay tribute to 'hero'published at 17:17 BST 3 October
    Breaking

    Adrian DaulbyImage source, Greater Manchester Police

    The family of Adrian Daulby have paid tribute to him saying he was a “hero” who died during “the act of courage to save others.”

    The 53-year-old died after being shot by police as they tried to apprehend the attacker during yesterday’s Manchester synagogue attack.

    The tribute goes on to say that "Adrian was one of the brave worshippers attending the synagogue at the time of incident and prevented the attacker from gaining access to the premises.

    “The family is shocked by the tragic, sudden death of such a lovely down to earth man”.

    The family asked for privacy while they grieve for their loss.

  20. Watch: Moment deputy prime minster is heckled at Manchester vigilpublished at 16:59 BST 3 October

    Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was heckled and booed by some of those who attended the vigil in Manchester in memory of those killed yesterday.

    You can watch the moment in the clip below.

    Media caption,

    'Shame on you': David Lammy heckled at Jewish community vigil