The family of a man who carried out a violent attack at a synagogue before being fatally shot by police has released a statement. Identified as Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, he rammed his car into a group of individuals outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in north Manchester. Al-Shamie proceeded to stab a man before being shot by authorities within seven minutes of the incident on Yom Kippur, a significant day in Judaism.
In the tragic event, two individuals, Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, lost their lives, while three others sustained severe injuries. Al-Shamie’s family denounced the attack as a “heinous act” and expressed deep shock and sorrow over the incident. They disassociated themselves from the violence, extending condolences to the victims and their families, and praying for their recovery.
Al-Shamie, who obtained British citizenship at around 16 years old in 2006, is believed to have not been previously flagged by law enforcement or security agencies. Neighbors of the assailant mentioned that he resided in the area since approximately 2021, describing him as a solitary figure who engaged in physical fitness activities in his yard and kept to himself.
Reports indicate that Al-Shamie worked as a tutor teaching English and computer programming, with his father purportedly being a surgeon. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed surprise at the attacker’s name, highlighting the unfamiliarity of the name “Jihad” within her Muslim community. Mahmood clarified that the name was Al-Shamie’s birth name and had always been known as such.