Police confirmed an attack at a synagogue in Manchester, north of England, on Thursday morning that left two people dead and four others injured is being treated as a “terrorist incident.” The suspect was shot dead at the scene.
“Based on what we know, counterterrorism policing has declared this is a terrorist incident. We will ensure every piece of intelligence and line of inquiry is interrogated,” said assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor during a press briefing outside New Scotland Yard, the police headquarters in London.
The two victims who died were members of Greater Manchester’s Jewish community, chief constable Sir Stephen Watson confirmed in a second press briefing. The four people injured “remain in hospital, having suffered a variety of serious injuries.”
In addition to the suspect being fatally shot by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) firearms officers, two arrests have been made.
Taylor and Watson said police are confident they know the attacker’s identity, but “for safety reasons at the scene” are unable to confirm at this stage. Per Watson, the suspect was wearing a “vest which had the appearance of an explosive device.”
Police have asked the public to “remain vigilant” as investigations continue and to report anything that “doesn’t feel right.”
What do we know about the attack at the Manchester synagogue?
Police first responded to a call at 9:31 a.m., local time, on Thursday morning outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the Crumpsall area of northern Manchester, where attendees were honoring the Jewish Holiday of Yom Kippur.
The caller reported a suspect driving a car towards members of the public. Per police, the driver of the car “was seen to then attack people with a knife.” The suspect was shot dead by armed police officers at around 9:38 a.m. and paramedics arrived at the scene shortly thereafter. Pictures circulating of the scene appear to show the suspect lying on the ground with a knife nearby.
GMP initially said it couldn’t be…
