The deadly hit-and-run stabbing attack occurred on October 2, 2025, outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, northern England, during Yom Kippur services.
The attacker drove his vehicle into pedestrians gathered for prayer before stepping outside to stab the victims, killing two Jewish worshippers and seriously injuring at least three others (one by stabbing, others by the hit-and-run or the related mayhem).
The suspect, identified as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead by armed police at the scene after donning a fake explosive vest (no real bomb was found, although suspicious objects caused a controlled detonation of his vehicle).
Three other people were arrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses, indicating possible accomplices or a broader conspiracy.
The attack struck a chord with the Jewish community on Judaism’s holiest day, when synagogues are packed with worshippers, amplifying the trauma and disrupting ongoing services. Worshippers were evacuated, and a children’s service was canceled.
It instilled widespread fear, described by Rabbi Jonathan Romain as “every rabbi’s or Jew’s worst nightmare,” exacerbating anxiety amid a surge in antisemitic incidents in the UK (more than 1,500 reported in the first half of 2025 alone, related to the fallout from the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023).
Local residents expressed shock in this usually peaceful area, while the incident evoked memories of the 2017 Manchester stadium bombing, increasing vigilance across the city.
The broader social effects include strained community relations, with interfaith condemnation from groups such as the Muslim Council of Britain, but also the potential for further division given that the attack occurred at a time of heightened global tensions between Israel and Gaza.
Police immediately declared a “major incident” and activated the PLATO code for a marauding terrorist attack, deploying armed officers across the country and beefing up security at synagogues to prevent copycat attacks.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer interrupted a summit in Copenhagen to chair an emergency meeting of the COBRA committee, vowing to “defeat rising hatred” and provide government support to the Jewish community.
Opposition leaders, the mayor of Manchester, and even King Charles III echoed the condemnations and praised the emergency services.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences, framing it as part of global terrorism. The suspect’s death ended the immediate threat but complicated the investigation, with counterterrorism police leading an inquiry into his background (he had not previously been accused of radicalization).
In the long term, it could prompt a review of antisemitism and extremism monitoring policies, along with increased community policing.
Authorities have classified the attack as a terrorist incident motivated by antisemitism. Starmer stated that the perpetrator “targeted Jews simply because they were Jews.” While Al-Shamie’s full motives remain under investigation—his manifesto and group affiliation have not been confirmed—preliminary findings point to targeted anti-Jewish hatred, possibly inspired by regional conflicts.
The arrest of three other individuals suggests a possible conspiracy, but as of October 2, 2025, the incident remains ongoing, with formal identification of the victims pending and no evidence of a wider network or bomb plot. Netanyahu warned that such attacks thrive on the perception of weakness, underscoring the call for a robust counterterrorism fight.
