Two people were killed after an assailant reportedly drove a car into pedestrians and stabbed a security guard near a synagogue in Manchester in northwest England on Thursday, British police said, adding that officers had shot the suspect.
Greater Manchester Police said officers had been called to Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the north Manchester district of Crumpsall after a witness said they had seen a car driven at members of the public and that one man had been stabbed.
Two people are confirmed dead and three others were in a serious condition.
The suspect was also believed to be dead but police said it could not be confirmed "due to safety issues surrounding suspicious items on his person".
A bomb disposal unit was summoned and was now at the scene, they said.
Onlookers comfort each other at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, where multiple people were injured after a stabbing and car attack. Source: Getty / Christopher Furlong
The incident came on the Jewish Yom Kippur holiday and days ahead of the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel.
British Prime Minister Keir Starner said he was "appalled" by the attack, noting it took place on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Starmer has left a European political meeting in Copenhagen early to return to the UK.
Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham told the BBC the city was dealing with "a serious incident".
"At the same time I can give some reassurance that the immediate danger appears to be over and GMP have dealt with it very quickly with some amazing support from members of the public and security at the location," he said.
Firearms officers were deployed at 9:34am amid reports from members of the public that a security guard had been attacked with a knife.
Burnham urged people "not to speculate on social media", while noting the Jewish community "will be very worried by the news".
This is a developing story and this article will be updated.
