Manchester Jewish House of Worship Assault Fatalities Identified
Two victims losing their lives in an attack on a Jewish house of worship in Manchester have been identified by police as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, aged 66.
Three others continue receiving medical care with critical wounds after the attacker rammed a car into people before using a bladed weapon on Thursday morning.
The assault, which law enforcement has confirmed was a terrorist incident, came on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish faith.
The perpetrator, who was shot dead at the location, was a thirty-five-year-old British citizen of Syrian heritage who was not on record to counter terrorism police, as stated by official statements.
Community Response
"We are devastated," Britain's senior Jewish leader commented.
In an interview with a prominent media outlet, he remarked: "What transpired yesterday was an awful blow to us, something which we had been concerned about might happen because of the escalating tensions."
The attack was not only "a profoundly troubling moment" for the British Jewish community "but for everyone in our country," he continued.
Official Reaction
"Our obligation is to ensure our Jewish community, our people can go about their lives with protection and peace of mind," a cabinet minister announced.
"It is unacceptable that Jewish people in our country to feel compelled to live a smaller Jewish life, that they cannot pursue their activities and practice their faith and attend their religious centers in liberty," she continued.
The perpetrator was not recognized to terrorism investigators, she informed news organizations, and it was "too early" to say if there was a organized group behind the attack.
Police Inquiry
The law enforcement inquiry was "progressing rapidly" and there was an increased police presence at religious institutions across the UK.
"The government does provide safety resources," the official said, adding: "We must evaluate what additional measures we can implement to deal with rising antisemitism."
Local authorities announced they were assisting the relatives of the two deceased individuals.
"Our heartfelt condolences are with the families of the victims at this extremely hard time," a senior police officer expressed.
He indicated that designated family representatives were in contact with them and would maintain assistance through the investigative procedures.
"While protocols must be followed which must be followed, we commit to being mindful of cultural preferences and concerns and to ensuring that these men and their relatives' requests are followed," he added, stating that the both victims were from Crumpsall.
Post-mortems are taking place on the next day, as confirmed by government statements.