UK synagogue terror attack victims known for their kindness, praised for their bravery

Friends and family of the two men killed in a terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester, northwest England, were in mourning on Friday and paid tribute to kind and caring neighbors.

Armed police inadvertently shot Adrian Daulby as they responded to Thursday’s attack, which happened on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

The exact circumstances of Melvin Cravitz’s death in the car and stabbing attack carried out by Jihad al-Shamie, a UK citizen of Syrian descent, remained unclear.

Both men lived in Crumpsall, a suburb of Manchester with an ethnically diverse but tight-knit community, where the Heaton Park synagogue is located.

During a vigil on Friday, Rabbi Daniel Walker from the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation praised both as “truly wonderful, special men whose lives were… snatched from them as they tried to pray as Jews on the holiest day of the year on Yom Kippur.”

Adrian Daulby

Adrian Daulby, 53, was one of two people hit by police gunfire when law enforcement responded to Thursday’s attack, shooting and killing Shamie outside the synagogue.

Shamie had worn a vest holding an apparent explosive device, but it was not functional, police said.

Daulby was behind the synagogue door, barricading it to keep it closed, along with a second person struck by a police bullet and now in hospital.

Police described Daulby as “one of the brave worshipers” who had “prevented the attacker from gaining access to the premises.”

“Adrian Daulby was a hero and tragically lost his life in the act of courage to save others,” his family said in a statement on Friday.

“He was a beloved brother, loving uncle to his four nieces and one nephew and a cherished cousin,” it added.

“The family is shocked by the tragic, sudden death of such a lovely down to earth man. His final act was one of profound courage and he will forever be remembered for his heroic act on Thursday 2 October 2025.”

A neighbor, John Kelly, told The Times, that Daulby had lived at the same address since he was a child and his late father had worked at a Jewish tailoring shop.

Daulby was a “very, very genuine man” and “a good member of the community” who would take his neighbors’ trash cans out for them, Kelly said.

Another neighbor, who gave his name only as Hussain, told The Times that Daulby had told him this week he “was not feeling too good” and “was debating” whether to go to the synagogue.

Melvin Cravitz

Melvin Cravitz, 66, was the security guard at the synagogue at the time of the incident, police said. He “courageously stopped the attacker from entering the building,” they added.

His grieving family said in a statement that “Melvin would do anything to help anyone.”

“He was so kind, caring and always wanted to chat and get to know people.

“He was devoted to his wife, family and loved his food. He will be sorely missed by his wife, family, friends and community.”

Friends told The Daily Telegraph he often came to dinner and was well-known locally.

“He was a lovely person. Always with a joke, always making a smile,” said Elchonon Cohen.

“He was a figure round here. If you saw Melvin, you stopped and talked,” said Cohen’s wife, Hindi.

“He had health issues, but he was always with a joke and a smile,” she added.

Cravitz had no children of his own but was beloved by his wife Karen’s children from a previous marriage, the Telegraph reported.