North Manchester was rocked by violence on Thursday morning, October 2, 2025, after a car was deliberately driven into worshippers outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, followed by a stabbing attack that left two people dead and several others injured.
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Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that the alarm was raised at 9:31 a.m. Armed officers arrived within minutes, triggering Operation Plato, the UK’s emergency response protocol for suspected terror incidents. Within moments, the suspect was shot dead by police at the synagogue gates after he attempted to rise during the confrontation.
According to GMP, the attacker first rammed his vehicle into a crowd of worshippers before exiting the car and stabbing a security guard and others gathered outside for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Paramedics from the North West Ambulance Service treated four victims at the scene. Tragically, two have since been confirmed dead. The conditions of the remaining victims have not yet been disclosed.
Citywide Lockdowns and Security Response
Hospitals including Rochdale Infirmary, Salford Royal, Fairfield General, and Royal Oldham were placed under lockdown as a precaution. Local schools and community centres also heightened security. A bomb disposal unit was deployed after concerns the suspect may have carried explosives, though none were found.
Eyewitness videos circulating online show heavily armed officers surrounding the wounded suspect outside the synagogue. At one point, police can be heard warning of a potential bomb before opening fire.
Leaders React
Mayor Andy Burnham described the incident as “an extremely serious attack,” assuring the public that the immediate threat had been neutralised. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and Manchester’s Jewish community on this most sacred of days,” he said.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was attending a European summit in Copenhagen, is returning to the UK and has convened a COBR emergency committee meeting in London this afternoon.
Investigation Underway
The attacker’s identity has not yet been released, and the motive remains under investigation. GMP has urged the public to avoid the Crumpsall area as forensic teams continue their work. Security has also been reinforced at places of worship across Greater Manchester in the wake of the attack.
Police confirmed:
“Shots were fired by GMP firearms officers at 9:38 a.m. One man has been shot, believed to be the offender. Four members of the public are being treated for injuries.”
The tragedy has cast a shadow over Manchester’s Jewish community and raised fresh concerns about security at religious sites across the UK.