Sir Keir Starmer says he is “appalled” by the attack and is set to fly home early from a meeting of European leaders to chair an emergency Cobra meeting, and the King says he is “deeply shocked” to learn of the “horrific attack” on “such a significant day for the Jewish community”.
Thursday 2 October 2025 14:57, UK
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Two people have been killed – and a suspect shot dead by police – after an attack at a synagogue in Manchester on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.
Greater Manchester Police said a security guard was attacked with a knife outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, on Middleton Road, Crumpsall, on Thursday morning – and several others injured after they were attacked and a car was driven at members of the public.
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The force later confirmed two people – and a third person, believed to be the offender who was shot by firearms officers – had died.
Three members of the public remain in a serious condition.
Confirmation of the suspect’s death came after police revealed “suspicious items” had been found “on his person”. A bomb disposal unit was at the scene.
No official information has been released on the attacker’s background, religion or possible motivation.
Officers were deployed to the “major incident” after they were alerted to an attack at 9.31am.
Six minutes later the force declared “Plato” – the national code-word used by police and emergency services when responding to a “marauding terror attack”.
Video shows police officers pointing guns at someone laying on the ground outside the front of the synagogue.
The armed officers shout at onlookers to “get back” and “move on”.
The person on the ground is seen starting to get up before there is the sound of a gunshot and they fall to the ground.
Another person is shown lying motionless on the ground outside the synagogue gates with blood near their head.
Sky News has decided not to show the moment a shot was heard.
“Shots were fired by Greater Manchester Police firearms officers at 9.38am. One man has been shot, believed to be the offender,” a police spokesperson said.
Paramedics arrived at the scene at 9.41am and treated people for “injuries caused by both the vehicle and stab wounds”.
The spokesperson praised the “quick response” of a witness to the attack which allowed police to take “swift action” to prevent the offender “from entering the synagogue”.
They urged anyone with images or footage of the incident to share them directly with the force.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “appalled” and “absolutely shocked” by the attack and returned home early from a meeting of European leaders in Denmark to chair an emergency Cobra meeting.
He added “additional police assets are being deployed to synagogues across the country”.
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The King said: “My wife and I have been deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific attack in Manchester, especially on such a significant day for the Jewish community.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this appalling incident and we greatly appreciate the swift actions of the emergency services.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales said in a personal message posted on social media: “Our thoughts are with the victims and the families of the terrible attack at Heaton Park Synagogue.
“The fact that this tragedy occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more shocking.
“We are thinking of the entire community as well as the emergency responders who attended this terrible incident.”
Several of the streets surrounding the synagogue were closed off.
Behind the cordon there were also police officers dressed in black fatigues and carrying machine guns.
A Jewish man outside the synagogue said: “It is the holiest day of the year and we get this. There is no place for Jews in Britain any more. It’s over.”
The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said it was an “appalling attack”.
Dave Rich, of the CST, added: “Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It’s a very solemn day and synagogues across the country will be full throughout the day.
“There’s always a significant security operation in place between police and CST across the Jewish community on all major Jewish festivals.”
In terms of importance in the religious year, he said it is similar to Christmas Day for Christians, but is a day of solemnity and fasting rather than celebration.
A regular worshipper at the Synagogue told Sky News the attack on Yom Kippur was a “culmination of something the Jewish community has been fearing for two years”.
Raphi Bloom, a director at a Jewish social care charity in Greater Manchester, said he was walking to the synagogue when he received a call from a friend warning him not to go due to a “terrorist incident”.
He told Sky’s Jayne Secker there has been inaction to tackle “the wave of hatred targeting the Jewish community in the UK”, notably since 7 October 2023 when Hamas gunmen launched an attack on Israel, killing at least 1,200 people and taking 250 hostage.
“We’ve been faced with a tsunami of Jew hatred since,” he said.
“Ultimately, almost every Jew in this country realised that this day would come. I never thought it would happen at my synagogue, to my friends, to my rabbi, in my city.”
He called on every Jewish organisation in the UK to have “large fences around it” and 24-hour security.
The attack happened on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year.
It is a solemn day of observance and atonement, and marks the peak of the High Holidays.
It comes after Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, with both occasions bookmarking the Ten Days of Repentance.
Jews observe Yom Kippur by prayer and fasting from sunset the day before to the sunset of the day itself.
No work is permitted, and for some, the day is spent at a synagogue.
The occasion falls on the 10th day of Tishrei – a Hebrew month between late September and early October.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “horrified” by the attack in a post on social media.
“My first thoughts are with the victims, our brave police and emergency services,” she wrote, adding that she was being constantly updated by Greater Manchester Police.
“I urge people to follow the advice of the emergency services.”
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Sky News’ North of England correspondent Katie Barnfield said she had spoken to some members of the Jewish community in Crumpsall who told her they were “shocked” and “terrified” by what had happened at the synagogue.
“One man told me several of his friends and family were still inside – though he knows they are safe,” she said.
“Another said this is an extremely tolerant community, where people of many faiths including Jews and Muslims have lived side by side for years, and he is stunned by what has taken place.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham wrote on X: “Today we have witnessed a vile attack on our Jewish community on its holiest day.
“We condemn whoever is responsible and will do everything within our power to keep people safe.
“We stand with GM’s Jewish community at this time and will work through the day to support them.”
The Israeli embassy condemned the incident, describing it as “abhorrent and deeply distressing”.
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People have been urged to only attend A&E across Greater Manchester if their condition is life-threatening.
A number of hospitals in the Greater Manchester area are reportedly in “lockdown” following the incident.
An internal note shared by the Northern Care Alliance – and seen by the Manchester Evening News – said all of its sites have been asked to “immediately lock down”.
NCA hospitals include Salford Royal, Fairfield General, Rochdale Infirmary and Royal Oldham.
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