Synagogue attacker Jihad Al-Shamie died of multiple gunshot wounds after launching his deadly terror attack on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, an inquest heard today.
The Islamic State supporter deliberately crashed his car outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on October 2 and began knifing worshippers.
The 35-year-old extremist – who was wearing a fake suicide belt – rang 999 during his atrocity and said: ‘I have killed two Jews in the name of Islamic State.’
Today an inquest heard how armed police ‘discharged several rounds’ at the attacker, who died at the scene.
Tragically one of the worshippers, Adrian Daulby, 53, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest after being struck by a stray bullet fired by one of the armed officers.
Along with hero Rabbi David Walker he was bravely barricading the synagogue doors from inside as Al-Shamie tried to force entry, Manchester Coroner’s Court was told earlier this week.
On Wednesday an inquest heard how another worshipper, Melvin Cravitz, 66, died from knife wounds inflicted by Al-Shamie.
Police immediately declared the attack – on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – a suspected terrorist incident when Al-Shamie began attacking worshippers at about 9.30am and armed police were scrambled to the scene.
Still armed with a knife, Al-Shamie – a Syrian-born UK citizen – charged at the officers who unleashed a series of rounds, killing the terrorist.
The profile picture which synagogue attacker Jihad Al-Shamie used as his profile on dating app Muzmatch
Al-Shamie (pictured outside the synagogue) travelled to Britain with his family as a young child and was granted UK citizenship in 2006, when he would have been around 16
Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes told today’s hearing that the first shot was fired at Al-Shamie at 9.38am.
However he was not pronounced dead until 4.38pm due to concerns over his suspect explosive belt – which turned out to be fake.
A post mortem gave his cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds.
Al-Shamie – who was on bail for rape at the time – was identified by matching his fingerprints to those on the police database, the senior detective said, in addition to being matched up to his car and mobile phone.
Wednesday’s hearing was told that Al-Shamie got out of his Kia hatchback at about 9.30am and ‘immediately made stabbing motions’ toward Mr Cravitz to his ‘upper torso, neck and head area’.
He was later transferred to hospital by ambulance but pronounced dead at Manchester Royal Infirmary at 10.45am.
A post-mortem showed he died of multiple stab wounds.
Greater Manchester Police had by now declared Operation Plato – the national code word used by police and emergency services when responding to a marauding terrorist attack.
Det Chf Supt Hughes told Wednesday’s hearing that Mr Daulby had helped to hold the main door of the synagogue shut ‘for approximately two minutes’ as Al-Shamie attempted to gain entry.
Melvin Cravitz, 66, from Crumpsall, died in the deadly attack
Adrian Daulby, 53, also died after being accidentally shot by police
Armed officers scrambled to the scene ‘fired several rounds’ after Al-Shamie had come ‘running towards them while carrying a knife’ and wearing an apparent suicide vest, Det Chf Supt Hughes said.
A single bullet penetrated the synagogue door and hit Mr Daulby in the chest and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.15am.
A post-mortem showed he had died of a single gunshot wound and the coroner recorded this as the provisional cause of death.
Full inquests on both victims plus Al-Shamie will be held at dates to be fixed.
Following the attack, the family of Mr Cravitz described him as a ‘kind, caring’ person, who ‘would do anything to help anyone’.
He ‘always wanted to chat and get to know people’, they said.
Mr Daulby’s family paid tribute to a ‘down to earth man whose final act was to save others’.
Their statement read: ‘Adrian Daulby was a hero and tragically lost his life in the act of courage to save others, he will forever be remembered for his heroic act on Thursday 2 October 2025.
‘The family is shocked by the tragic, sudden death of such a lovely down to earth man.’
Rabbi Daniel Walker at a vigil outside his synagogue following the attack
It comes as Rabbi Daniel Walker this week revealed he was not ‘wasting time’ thinking about the motivations of the attacker.
Al-Shamie – a married father-of-three who had at least two secret wives and bombarded other women via a Muslims-only dating app – was on bail for rape when he launched his atrocity.
The allegations against the university drop-out were made by two different women, one in December 2024 and the second just last month.
Al-Shamie had a conviction for possession of Class B drugs in 2012, when he was about 22, plus a ‘street warning’ for cannabis when he was a teenager and a penalty notice for shoplifting.
A one-time RAC call handler and keen gym-goer who lived with his mother in Prestwich, Al-Shamie was a prolific user of the Muzmatch dating app where he referred to himself as ‘J’ and says he is a data analyst of ‘Syrian mixed heritage’.
One of his secret wives later told the Daily Mail that Al-Shamie was ‘intimidating’ and ‘aggressive’, and was obsessed with watching foreign TV news channels.
But despite branding him a ‘controlling’ liar, she said there was nothing in his behaviour when they were together that suggested he was becoming radicalised.
‘One minute he can talk nice, then it’s like flipping a switch,’ she said.
Greater Manchester Police have referred themselves to the police watchdog over their prior contact with the terrorist.
Counter-terror police believe Al-Shamie was influenced by extremist Islamist ideology.
They arrested six people in connection with the attack, however all were later released without charge.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct later said it had found no misconduct by the three armed officers who opened fire during the attack.
Instead it is treating the officers as witnesses in its ongoing investigation.
