2 Killed as Attacker Targets Manchester Synagogue on Yom Kippur

Two people were killed on Thursday after a man rammed his car into pedestrians and stabbed a security guard outside a synagogue in Manchester during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, police said.

The incident occurred at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the Crumpsall area of north Manchester. Greater Manchester Police identified the suspect as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.

According to authorities, the attacker was wearing what appeared to be an explosive vest before being shot dead by armed officers at the scene.

Images from the area showed emergency services and worshippers in distress near the synagogue, where the assault disrupted Yom Kippur observances. Police said investigations were ongoing to determine the motive behind the attack and whether the suspect acted alone.

The U.K. government condemned the incident as a “heinous act of violence,” pledging full support for the Jewish community amid heightened security around places of worship nationwide.