Two dead after Crumpsall synagogue attack, police shoot suspect

Two people were killed and several others seriously injured on Thursday morning in a violent attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, police said, after a vehicle struck people and a man carried out a stabbing before being shot dead by officers. The assault occurred during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and prompted heightened security at Jewish sites across the country amid widespread alarm.

Greater Manchester Police said officers shot the suspect within seven minutes of the initial emergency call. The force said the individual had been believed to be wearing an explosive vest, which was later assessed as not viable. Four people were reported in serious condition following the attack, and two people were later arrested by armed police in the vicinity, the force added. Authorities praised the actions of synagogue security staff and worshippers, saying their response helped prevent the assailant entering the building.

The attack coincided with pro-Palestine demonstrations in Manchester and central London that had been organised before the incident. Crowds in Manchester marched near Piccadilly, while a large...