Manchester Synagogue Attack: Suspect Named, Two Dead

On Yom Kippur a man identified by police as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent, drove into worshippers and then stabbed people outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester before being shot dead by officers. The attack left at least two people dead and several others seriously injured, including congregant Yoni Finlay, a father of three who underwent surgery after wounds that may have been caused by a stray police bullet, shrapnel or flying glass. Greater Manchester Police declared the incident a terror attack and said officers have arrested people in connection with the incident as investigations continue. Worshippers, synagogue security and Rabbi Daniel Walker were praised for barricading doors and preventing the attacker from entering, an action credited with limiting further loss of life. The assault prompted stepped-up security at synagogues in the UK and abroad, with U.S. agencies including the NYPD and Connecticut State Police increasing patrols, and the UK Home Office and other authorities are reviewing the response and urging vigilance.