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Greater Manchester Police confirmed their firearms team was forced to respond. “Shots were fired by Greater Manchester Police firearms officers at 9:38 a.m. One man has been shot, believed to be the offender,” a police spokesperson said. The attacker was ultimately brought down outside the synagogue.
Authorities credited a witness with alerting officers, saying the individual’s “quick response” allowed law enforcement to take “swift action” and stop the suspect from forcing his way into the synagogue itself. Police emphasized that if the attacker had breached the building, the tragedy could have been far worse.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer immediately weighed in on the atrocity, cutting short his foreign travel to return home. He admitted he was “appalled” and “absolutely shocked” by the bloodshed, adding that “additional police assets are being deployed to synagogues across the country.”
Starmer acknowledged the horrific timing of the assault, saying, “The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific.”
The assault coincided with the timing of Yom Kippur prayer services, according to the BBC. Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement, is considered the most solemn day of the Jewish year, a time when Jews seek forgiveness through fasting and prayer.
One eyewitness, identified only as Gareth, described the terrifying moments as worshippers screamed and bodies were seen lying on the ground. He recalled watching the attacker repeatedly strike at a window.
“He was stabbing the window, trying to get in,” Gareth said. “Within seconds, the police arrived. They gave him a couple of warnings. He didn’t listen, so they opened fire.”
Even after being shot, the assailant refused to stay down. “The man started getting back up, and [the police] shot him again,” Gareth recalled.
A bomb disposal team was rushed to the synagogue, fearing the suspect’s “suicide belt” may have been real. A controlled explosion was carried out shortly after, though officials later confirmed the device was not live.
The royal family also issued a statement as King Charles III and Queen Camilla expressed their outrage and grief. “Especially on such a significant day for the Jewish community,” the King said, adding, “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this appalling incident, and we greatly appreciate the swift actions of the emergency services.”
By Thursday evening, police had not yet released details about the identity or background of the attacker. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities treating the event as a serious act of violence against the Jewish community.
What should have been a day of repentance, prayer, and peace instead became a chilling reminder of the dangers faced by places of worship across the Western world. This attack on a Manchester synagogue leaves many asking the same question: how long will innocent believers remain targets before leaders finally take action to protect them?
