Manchester synagogue terror attacker killed by armed police, inquest hears
Terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, died after suffering multiple gunshot wounds when he was shot by armed police responding to his attack on a synagogue, Manchester Coroner’s Court heard.
The inquest into the death of the 35-year-old man, who attacked the Heaton Park Hebrew Community Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, on October 2, was opened on Friday and adjourned in court.
Al-Shamie was heard running “aggressively” at the armed police, holding a knife and wearing what appeared to be a suicide belt.
Worshipers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed in the incident, which occurred around 9:30 a.m.
Al-Shamie, a Syrian-born British citizen, began his rampage by driving his Kia Picanto into security guards and the outer gates of the synagogue as worshipers gathered for Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews.
Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes told the hearing that armed officers responding to the call “fired several shots” at Al-Shamie, who “ran aggressively towards them, armed with a knife and wearing what was clearly a suicide belt.”
He added: “Al-Shamie suffered multiple gunshot wounds and collapsed.”
Judge Alexia Durran, chief coroner for England and Wales, who presided over the trial, said her provisional findings were that Al-Shamie died from gunshot wounds at Heaton Park Synagogue Community.
The hearing was told that the man was identified by secondary supporting evidence, including his fingerprints and his car, his phone, and interviews with his immediate family following the incident.
Al-Shamie’s family members attended the hearing, which lasted just over 15 minutes, via video link.
Inquiries into the two victims were opened and adjourned earlier this week.
A hearing on Wednesday was told that Mr Cravitz, 66, died from multiple stab wounds inflicted by Al-Shamie.
Mr Daulby, 53, who held the synagogue’s main doors closed as Al-Shamie tried to force his way in, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest fired by an armed police officer.
