Six minutes of terror: how Manchester synagogue attack unfolded

October 2, 2025

Six minutes of terror: how Manchester synagogue attack unfolded

Witnesses screamed hes got a bomb and shoot him before suspect was killed by armed policeWorshippers had arrived early for a special morning service at Heaton Park shul in north Manchester . It was Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and rabbi Daniel Walker was leading prayers in his long white robes. By 9.31am, they were stained with blood.As people made their way to the synagogue, they saw a small black car being driven erratically before it crashed into the gates. At first, some thought the driver had suffered a heart attack. But within seconds he had jumped out of the vehicle, dressed all in black, and had started stabbing those nearby.It was a rampage, said one witness. An elderly man lay motionless and bleeding at the entrance to the shul. Another victim lay crumpled beneath the car bonnet. In the courtyard, the attacker appeared to be trying to break into the synagogue, stabbing and slashing at the windows as worshippers barricaded the doors.Within six minutes, the knifeman lay prone after being shot by armed officers. As he lay on the floor, terrified passersby could see three white objects strapped to his waist. Hes got a bomb! shouted one man, as those inside the synagogue stared, terrified, from the windows above. Shoot him!The attacker then tried to sit up. Shoot him! a witness shouted again. One of the officers fired a final, fatal shot.In just six minutes, the assailant had brought terror to the Jewish community on their holiest day. Two people had been killed and a further four remained in a serious condition in hospital. It was only thanks to the bravery of the worshippers, police said, that the suspect was kept out of the building.By 9.37am, Greater Manchester police had declared a major incident and triggered Operation Plato, the plan for a marauding terror attack. Army bomb disposal units raced to the scene as reinforcements were called in from Wales and other forces.Fran Barrie, 75, was in her apartment overlooking the synagogue when she heard the sound of chaos: At about half nine I heard this big bang and thats when it all happened. There was about four loud noises. It might have been the police shooting at the guy but about 15 minutes later there was armed police, fire engines, everything.As paramedics rushed to help the victims, police locked down the synagogue. Nobody was allowed to leave. A huge police cordon was put in place as more armed officers arrived at speed. Military personnel arrived in what appeared to be two Blue Thunder helicopters, Eurocopter AS365 Dauphins used by the special forces.

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