A rabbi who barricaded the doors of a synagogue during a terror attack by a knifeman has today been hailed a hero.
Rabbi Daniel Walker sprang into action shortly after 9:30 a.m. when the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue came under attack. The suspect first rammed a car into the worship site before going on a rampage, stabbing several people and killing at least two. Three others remain in serious condition, authorities have confirmed.
As the chaos unfolded outside, Rabbi Walker, who has led Heaton Park since 2008, protected those inside by blocking the entrance of the packed building. Dramatic images later showed the attacker, who police said was armed with a bomb, attempting to smash his way into the synagogue before being shot by armed officers.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, witness Chava Lewin recalled, “My friend saw him crash the car near the synagogue. At first, she thought he’d had a heart attack. Then he got out and started stabbing everyone he could reach.”
She continued, “Rabbi Walker was incredibly calm. He shut the doors to the synagogue to stop him from getting inside. He barricaded everyone inside. He is a hero; this could have been even worse.”
Authorities believe the assailant died following the police shooting, although this has not been officially confirmed due to safety concerns about suspicious items found on the man’s person. Reports indicate the attacker may have been wearing a suspected explosive suicide belt, which bomb disposal teams are currently examining.
Shortly after police shot the attacker, Rabbi Walker was seen outside wearing his white kittel—the traditional robes of Jewish religious leaders—covered in blood.
One Jewish man present during the attack expressed his despair, saying, “It is the holiest day of the year and we get this. There is no place for Jews in Britain anymore. It’s over.”
Chava Lewin added, “Some of the congregation were inside at the time, but others were still arriving. We saw someone being resuscitated in the courtyard. It’s so scary, we just don’t feel safe now. To think someone would choose today of all days to attack us is horrifying.”
Rabbi Walker is co-chair of the community and interfaith committees of the Jewish Representative Council (JRC) and has served as Rabbi of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation since 2008. He also holds multiple community roles, including chairman of The Friendship Circle, which supports people with disabilities, director of the Manchester Beth Din (Ecclesiastical Court), and governor of King David Primary and High Schools. He was educated at Manchester Jewish Grammar School and studied in yeshivas in the USA and Israel, receiving his ordination in 2003.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who will cut short his trip to a European leaders’ meeting to chair the COBRA emergency committee, described the attack as “appalling.” He said, “The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific.”
Eyewitness Khurram Rafiq, a manager for a global tech firm driving past the scene, described the attacker’s actions as “robotic,” saying the man “had a job to do.”
Rafiq told the Daily Mail, “I saw a car swerve and hit someone on the pavement near the synagogue. At first, I thought it was an accident, but then he got out and stabbed the man on the ground. The knifeman walked through the front gates and stabbed at least two other men.”
He added, “He was quiet, no shouting or religious slogans. The men he stabbed were wearing kippot, so it seemed he was targeting Jewish people. He tried to get into the synagogue, banging and trying to jimmy open the doors. People threw objects like plant pots to distract him, but no one got close.”
Another witness, Gareth, driving a delivery van nearby, saw a man bleeding on the floor and the attacker stabbing a window of a nearby building, attempting to break in.
“Within seconds, the police arrived, gave warnings, and when he didn’t comply, they opened fire,” Gareth told BBC Radio Manchester. “It would have been very, very busy.”
The community has expressed immense shock. One member said, “We are a quiet community, just leave us alone. We don’t want any of this.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated, “I am horrified by the news of an attack at a synagogue in Manchester today, on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. My first thoughts are with the victims, our brave police and emergency services.”
Police confirmed the suspect who was shot at least twice has since died. However, sources told the Daily Mail it is still too early to determine the attacker’s motivation.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson praised the “quick response” of a witness, which enabled officers to take swift action and prevent the attacker from entering the synagogue.
“We know today’s horrifying attack, on the Jewish community’s holiest day, has caused significant shock and fear across all our communities,” the spokesperson said. “We remain in direct contact with all synagogues across Greater Manchester to provide reassurance, and this will continue as long as needed.”
They urged anyone with images or footage of the incident not to circulate them on social media but to share them directly with the police.
In a statement, the King and Queen expressed they were “deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific attack in Manchester, especially on such a significant day for the Jewish community.”
The victims of the attack have yet to be identified.
Following the incident, several hospitals in Greater Manchester were reportedly placed on lockdown. An internal note from the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust confirmed:
“We have been informed that emergency services are at the scene of an incident within Manchester. We will share further details as these become available.”
NCA hospitals include Salford Royal, Fairfield General, Rochdale Infirmary, and the Royal Oldham Hospital.
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