British authorities have indicated that one of the two victims in Thursday’s attack near a synagogue in Manchester may have been accidentally shot by armed officers attempting to stop the assailant.
The attack occurred outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. A British man of Syrian origin drove his car into pedestrians and then attacked several individuals with a knife.
Two victims, Adrian Daulby (53) and Melvin Cravitz (66), were killed. The attacker was shot dead at the scene by armed police, according to Reuters.
Police confirmed that the assailant was unarmed with firearms, while one victim sustained a gunshot wound, raising serious questions about whether the injury was caused by police gunfire during the rapid response.
“This indicates that the wound may have been caused inadvertently by officers acting quickly and decisively to stop this violent attack,” said Manchester Police Chief Steve Watson.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances of the deaths.
