One of the victims killed in a terrorist attack at a synagogue in Manchester was shot dead by police, it emerged today.

Another injured worshipper, who remains in a serious condition in hospital, also suffered a gunshot wound.

They had been standing behind the synagogue door at the time. It is believed both victims were attempting to prevent the Islamic terrorist from entering.

This morning, Greater Manchester Police issued a statement indicating that attacker Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was not believed to be armed with a gun and that both individuals were shot by officers.

Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, lost their lives following the attack outside Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on Thursday morning.

Mr Daulby was a volunteer with the Community Security Trust, and was helping to guard the synagogue at the time, a relative said.

Police have not confirmed which of the men suffered a gunshot wound.

Syrian-born Al-Shamie, who came to the UK as a child and was granted British citizenship in 2006, was also shot dead by police. Before Thursday’s attack, he was not on the radar of counter-terror police or security services.

The gunshot wound to the injured victim is not life-threatening. 

It is understood that Greater Manchester Police has referred the incident to the police watchdog, the IOPC. Home Office post-mortems are scheduled for later this morning.

In a statement, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said: ‘Following the terrorist incident yesterday at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, Middleton Road, Crumpsall; further and urgent enquiries continue. Overnight, we have taken advice from the Home Office Pathologist ahead of full post mortem examinations scheduled for later today. 

‘The Home Office Pathologist has advised that he has provisionally determined, that one of the deceased victims would appear to have suffered a wound consistent with a gunshot injury.

‘It is currently believed that the suspect, Jihad Al-Shamie, was not in possession of a firearm and the only shots fired were from GMP’s Authorised Firearms Officers as they worked to prevent the offender from entering the synagogue and causing further harm to our Jewish community.

‘It follows therefore, that subject to further forensic examination, this injury may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end.

‘We have also been advised by medical professionals that one of the three victims currently receiving treatment in hospital, has also suffered a gunshot wound, which is mercifully not life-threatening.

‘It is believed that both victims were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry.’

It comes after the Police Chief yesterday praised ‘brave’ officers and told how armed police that were scrambled to the scene shot Al-Shamie dead within seven minutes of the first 999 call.

Sir Stephen said last night that the bravery of security staff and worshippers had stopped the knifeman from entering the building. 

He told reporters: ‘There were a large number of worshippers attending the synagogue at the time of this attack, but thanks to the immediate bravery of security staff and the worshippers inside, as well as the fast response of the police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access.’ 

One of those who died, Mr Cravitz, was close friends with Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue Rabbi, Daniel Walker.

He leaves behind his wife Karen, whom he married in August 2009. In a tender family album picture shared online the couple are seen clinking glasses of whisky together on their wedding day.

Mr Cravitz had previously survived two heart operations and had no children of his own, but was seen as an uncle figure to his wife’s children from her previous marriage. 

Tributes are pouring in for both victims today after the tragedy. Two friends of Melvin Cravitz described him as ‘very beloved’, adding he ‘always’ smiled.

Mr Daulby’s family said they were ‘heartbroken’ at his loss, and asked for privacy.

A short statement shared on his Facebook page read: ‘As Adrian’s family, we are heartbroken by his passing. 

‘We kindly ask for privacy at this time as we grieve and seek the answers we need. Thank you for your understanding and respect.’

One member of his extended family said the victim was a volunteer with the Community Security Trust (CST) and was helping to guard the synagogue at the time of the attack.

Jack Maurer, 78, said: ‘What has happened is tragic and beyond belief. Adrian was a lovely man who was helping to guard the synagogue.’

Hero Rabbi Daniel Walker and several other members of his congregation barricaded the doors to the synagogue to prevent terrorist Al-Shamie from entering the building and causing more carnage.

The attacker, who was pictured wearing a mock suicide belt that police have confirmed was not viable, drove hsi black Kia into pedestrians before stabbing multiple people at 9.31am on Thursday.

Armed officers were scrambled to the scene, and video footage showed how one shouted the attacker had a ‘bomb’.

Al-Shamie was shot twice by officers, eyewitnesses said, but it appears that stray bullets also hit two members of the community stood behind the synagogue doors.

When police arrived, it was reported that Al-Shamie was attempting to stab people through a window of the synagogue as he tried to get in. 

As well as the two deceased, the horror left four injured, with three still in a serious condition in hospital. 

It emerged yesterday that father-of-three Yoni Finlay also helped to stop the terrorist gaining entry. He was said to have been injured by a stray bullet when armed police shot Al-Shamie dead seven minutes after the horror unfolded.

Mr Finlay was taken to hospital following the attack and has undergone surgery, it is understood.

Former armed police officer Oliver Laurence told the Mail that the ‘priority for any armed response’ to terrorism is to ‘minimise the loss of live’, adding that officers make ‘life-or-death decisions in a split second’.

Mr Laurence said firearms officers were trained to target ‘centre mass’ – the chest – to take down armed attackers. 

But he warned it was possible that even the most ‘highly trained’ officers could still miss from close range, particularly when an attack is moving.

‘That’s why officers shoot for centre mass,’ he added. ‘It’s the best target. People often say, ‘why can’t you just shoot the knife out of someone’s hand’? Because you’ll miss.

Al-Shamie is a British citizen of Syrian descent and police said they are ‘working to understand the motivation’, with the attack being treated as terror-related. 

Officers also arrested two men aged in their 30s and a woman in her 60s on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. 

The attack took place on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. 

Al Shamie’s relatives took to social media this morning to share a statement in which they condemned his ‘heinous’ act.

The family said: ‘The news from Manchester regarding the terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue has been a profound shock to us.

‘The Al-Shamie family in the UK and abroad strongly condemns this heinous act, which targeted peaceful, innocent civilians.

‘We fully distance ourselves from this attack and express our deep shock and sorrow over what has happened. Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we pray for their strength and comfort.

‘We kindly request that all media outlets respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time and refrain from using this tragic event in any context that does not reflect the truth.

‘May God have mercy on the innocent victims, and we pray for the swift recovery of the injured.’

The statement was signed by Faraj Al-Shamie, on behalf of the Al-Shamie Family.

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood this morning confirmed that Al-Shamie had not been previously referred to Prevent.

Al-Shamie’s name has also not appeared in initial searches of police and security service records, and he is not thought to have been under investigation.

Further checks are being carried out to see if any of his details appear anywhere in records of other investigations.

Eyewitness Khurram Rafiq, who was driving past the synagogue, said Al-Shamie went from victim to victim in a ‘robotic’ manner like he ‘had a job to do’.

Mr Rafiq, 35, a manager for a global tech firm, told the Daily Mail: ‘Initially I thought it was an accident and that the driver had lost control for whatever reason.

‘But he then got out and stabbed the man who was lying on the ground. The knifeman walked through the front gates and stabbed at least two other men. I would describe him as an Asian man and he was going for anyone who was Jewish.

‘The men he stabbed were all wearing the kippah. There was no shouting from what I could hear nor any religious slogans.’

Last night, Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the terror attack had come following an ‘unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, campuses, on social media and elsewhere’.

He said: ‘This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come.’

Police patrols have been bolstered outside synagogues since yesterday’s bloodshed, with Sir Keir Starmer pledging to the Jewish community that he would do ‘everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve’.

The Prime Minister visited the scene of the attack this morning with his wife Victoria, where they spoke with emergency service personnel and paid tribute to victims. 

Outside of Manchester, organisers of pro-Palestine protests this weekend are facing pressure to cancel them after activism in support of Greta Thunberg’s Gaza flotilla led to 40 people being arrested. 

As anger continues to boil over today, the Home Secretary has urged pro-Palestine activists to step back ‘for at least a few days’ and axe demonstrations this weekend, which police chiefs fear will ‘draw resources away’ from the capital ‘when they are needed most’.

Speaking to Sky News, Shabana Mahmood said those who gathered after the attack were behaving in a ‘fundamentally un-British’ and ‘dishonourable’ way.

With further demonstrations on the horizon, Ms Mahmood urged those who plan on protesting to show ‘some humanity’ and ‘give the Jewish community here a chance to process what has happened’.