Synagogue attack victim killed by single bullet, inquest hears

A victim of the Manchester synagogue attack was fatally shot by a police bullet as he held the doors shut against the killer, an inquest heard.

Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed in the attack, carried out by Jihad Al-Shamie, on 2 October as they attended Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish religious calendar.

The inquests were opened and adjourned at Manchester Coroner's Court by the chief coroner for England and Wales, Judge Alexia Durran.

The inquests heard from a senior police officer who confirmed Mr Cravitz was stabbed while Mr Daulby died from a gunshot wound to the chest fired by police.

Al-Shamie drove a car into a security guard before "immediately making stabbing motions" towards Mr Cravitz after getting out, the inquest heard.

An inquest into the death of Al-Shamie will be held separately and is due to open on Friday.

Rabbi Daniel Walker, who along with Mr Daulby held the synagogue doors shut as Al-Shamie tried to batter his way inside, was present in court alongside the families of both victims.

At the brief hearing, Judge Durran asked Det Ch Supt Lewis Hughes, from Greater Manchester Police (GMP), to give brief details of how each man was killed.

He said CCTV footage showed a black Kia Picanto car being driven into a security guard, previously named as Bernard Agyemang, before smashing into an external metal gate and a wall at approximately 09:30 BST.

He said the car had "narrowly missed" Mr Cravitz, who was on his way into the building, but almost immediately Al-Shamie got out of the vehicle.

Det Ch Supt Hughes, who was the senior investigating officer and senior identification officer on the day, told the court: "The offender exited the vehicle armed with a knife and immediately he made stabbing motions towards Mr Cravitz's upper torso, neck and head area."

He said Mr Daulby was inside the synagogue and "actively" helped to hold the door shut for around two minutes as Al-Shamie tried to force his way inside.

Det Ch Supt Hughes said: "On arrival at the synagogue armed officers discharged several rounds at the suspected terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie, as he ran towards them aggressively holding a knife and a possible suicide vest.

"A single stray or possible deflected bullet has penetrated the synagogue doors and fatally struck Mr Daulby in the chest."

The court heard Mr Cravitz was treated at the scene by members of the voluntary Community Security Trust (CST), which provides security at Jewish schools and religious sites, and members of the public.

He was taken by ambulance to Manchester Royal Infirmary but died later that morning.

Mr Daulby, however, was declared dead at the scene.

Judge Durran said the opening was not the time for questions to be asked and the circumstances to be explored - which would be reserved for the full inquest.

She adjourned both inquests until 18 February 2026, when a pre-inquest review hearing will take place in Manchester.

Three others were seriously wounded in the attack, including Mr Agyemang who remains in hospital.

Andrew Franks, who was stabbed by Al-Shamie, and Yoni Finlay, who was struck by a police bullet inside the synagogue, have since been discharged.

Six people were arrested by Counter Terrorism Police after the attack on suspicion of terrorism offences, but were released without charge.

However one of those suspects, a 30-year-old man, was re-arrested at Manchester Airport on 9 October on suspicion of failing to disclose information related to terrorism, and has since been released on bail pending further investigation.

Earlier Rabbi Walker said the empty seats where Mr Daulby and Mr Cravitz used to sit were one of the "first things I see" whenever he walks into his synagogue.

"They were both very, very special men," he told the BBC.

"Adrian was a very quiet man - a man of great dignity, always with a smile, always kind, very much loved by his family and his neighbours.

"Melvin was also a wonderful man - a family man."