Manchester synagogue victim died from single police gunshot wound, inquest hears

A victim of the Manchester synagogue attack died from a single police gunshot wound as he held the building’s doors shut against a terrorist, an inquest has heard.

Adrian Daulby, 53, was described at his funeral as a “quiet man” who became a “tremendously strong hero”.

On Wednesday, an inquest opened into his death and that of fellow worshipper Melvin Cravitz, 66, who died as a result of multiple knife wounds inflicted by Jihad al-Shamie.

Daulby and Cravitz were worshipping at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, as it came under attack on 2 October during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish religious calendar.

The hearing heard that Shamie, a Syrian-born UK citizen, began his attack on the synagogue by driving his Kia Picanto at security staff and the external gates at about 9.30am.

After getting out of the car he attacked Cravitz with a knife, inflicting wounds that were fatal.

The inquest heard Daulby had leaped from his seat to block the doors of the synagogue as it came under attack.

Ch Supt Lewis Hughes, of Greater Manchester police, (GMP) told the hearing two armed officers had responded to the attack.

He said: “On arrival at the synagogue officers discharged several rounds at the suspected terrorist Jihad al-Shamie as he ran towards them aggressively while carrying a knife and wearing what presented as a suicide vest.

“A single bullet penetrated the synagogue doors and fatally struck Mr Daulby in the chest.

“Mr Daulby attended that morning as a worshipper. He was actively holding the main synagogue doors shut for approximately two minutes as the offender attempted to force entry.

“At 9.38 he appears to be struck by a bullet from an armed officer outside the premises.”

He was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.15am, Hughes said.

A Home Office postmortem examination concluded the cause of death as a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Giving details about the second death, Hughes said Shamie got out of his car armed with a knife “and immediately made stabbing motions to Cravitz’s upper torso, head and neck area.

“Members of the public and CST [Community Security Trust] arrived to administer first aid, trauma care and CPR. Mr Cravitz was placed on a stretcher and into an awaiting ambulance.”

Hughes said Cravitz was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary but died from his injuries. He was pronounced dead at 10.45am.

Judge Alexia Durran, the chief coroner of England and Wales, presiding over the hearing, said her provisional findings were that Cravitz died of stab wounds and Daulby died of a gunshot wound.

Durran began the hearing by extending her condolences to the families and friends of Cravitz and Daulby.

The coroner said representatives from a number of other organisations were either present in court or via a live link, including GMP, Counter Terrorism Policing North West, the CST and the government legal department.

The coroner said Wednesday’s hearing would lead to only “provisional findings”, not final conclusions.

The hearing, lasting about 45 minutes, was adjourned for a pre-inquest review on 18 February next year.

An inquest into the death of Shamie, 35, who was shot dead by police, is scheduled to open on Friday.