Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died during the attack
Police outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall following the attack(Image: PA)
A man who was shot during the attack on a synagogue in Manchester has been released from hospital. Two people died and three were taken to hospital following a stabbing outside Heaton Park synagogue, on Middleton Road, at around 9.31am on Thursday, October 2.
Yoni Finlay, a 35-year-old father-of-three, is understood to have been hit by a stray bullet fired by police following the attack. He is reported to have been helping to barricade the doors as the gunman targeted the place of worship on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
The gunman, Jihad Al-Shamie, was shot by police and died at the scene. Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died during the attack.
Mr Daulby is believed to have been inadvertently shot dead by armed police as they scrambled to the scene to stop Al-Shamie, who had driven his car at worshippers outside, attacked others with a knife and tried to storm the synagogue, wearing a fake suicide belt.
A statement from Greater Manchester Police said: “The man who was injured with a gunshot wound has been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home.”
The force said two other men injured in the attack, a security guard who was hurt when the attacker rammed his car outside the synagogue and a volunteer who was stabbed, remain in hospital in stable conditions.
Synagogue attacker Jihad Al-Shamie(Image: Submitted)
Mr Finlay’s ex-wife, Naomi Finlay told BBC News following the attack: “He’s in pain, obviously, but I think for him and anyone who’s been injured or involved in any of that terrible day, I think it’s the emotional toll which is going to take a lot longer to recover from.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is carrying out an investigation into the attack as standard procedure and is treating the officers who responded as witnesses, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said.
She said that police acted in a situation where “they believed a terrorist was likely to detonate an explosive device”, adding: “There is no ambiguity around who is responsible for the deaths and injuries that took place on that day.”
Allegedly a university dropout, Al-Shamie was born in Syria but was granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was around 16 having entered the UK as a young child. He was on police bail accused of rape when he carried out the attack in Crumpsall. Police stated he “may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology”.
GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson, responding to the IOPC’s initial findings, said: “Following the horrendous terrorist attack on Thursday, October 2, 2025, Greater Manchester Police has been inundated with messages of thanks and support for the actions that our brave officers took to prevent further harm to our Jewish community who were inside and around the Heaton Park Synagogue.
“I welcome this continued support and acknowledge the fact that the IOPC have today confirmed their finding that no misconduct is apparent in the actions required of our officers in bringing this dreadful attack to an end. These findings relate to the death of the terrorist and to the tragic death of Mr Adrian Daulby and the injury sustained by another courageous member of the congregation.
“Our thoughts will always be with the families and loved ones of those directly affected by this tragedy, together with the wider community across Greater Manchester and beyond. Our significant presence and determination to protect everyone from all faith communities across our city region will continue unabated.
“GMP is committed to openness, transparency and candour in respect of all our previous dealings with the terrorist. We have therefore asked the IOPC to include this aspect in their ongoing review. This includes previous reports of harassment and an arrest for reports of rape over the past year, for which he was on bail at the time of the attack.”
