This is a developing story.
At least two are dead after a man rammed his car into a group of Jewish worshipers outside of an Orthodox synagogue in Manchester, England, on Thursday morning before getting out and stabbing people in what police are calling a terrorist incident.
Three others were left in serious condition, English police announced soon after the attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, which took place on the morning of Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
The assailant was killed by police officers, who say they have identified the attacker. Police arrested two other people suspected of being somehow involved in the attack.
English Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose wife is Jewish, left a European Summit meeting in Copenhagen to return to London for an emergency response meeting.
“The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific,” Starmer wrote on X. “My thoughts are with the loved ones of all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services and all the first responders.”
He also announced that extra police officers were being deployed to synagogues across England.
Police noted that Thursday’s attacker had “suspicious items” strapped to his body that were dealt with by bomb disposal officers. A synagogue member’s quick response to lock the house of worship’s doors and call police helped prevent the attacker from entering the building, police said.
“We are grateful to the member of the public whose quick response to what they witnessed allowed our swift action,” Greater Manchester Police wrote in a statement.
Men hug each other near the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester, England, Oct. 2, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)
The attack occurred roughly 30 minutes into morning Yom Kippur services, according to reports.
Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation is located in Crumpsall, a northern suburb in Greater Manchester. The bordering town of Prestwich boasts several synagogues. A study from 2021 found that close to 30,000 Jews live throughout Greater Manchester.
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