The two men killed in the Manchester synagogue terror attack have been named by police.
Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died in an attack on Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue on Thursday, Greater Manchester Police have said. Both men were Crumpsall residents attending the synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar dedicated to atonement and repentance. Three other victims remain in hospital with serious injuries.
The first victim of the attack, Cravitz, has been pictured. A neighbour of Cravitz called him a “lovely, lovely bloke.”
She told The Telegraph: “Oh my god. Melvin is a lovely, lovely bloke. I can’t fault him.”
The woman added: “He’s one of my best friends and his wife, Karen. They are lovely people. This is all so horrible. We’re in utter shock.”
The Crumpsall residents’ families have been informed and Family Liaison Officers are in contact with them and offering support. Home Office post-mortems will take place later this morning.
Friends of Cravitz, Elchonon and Hindi Cohen, said he was “a figure around here”, adding: “If you saw Melvin you stopped and talked.”
Mr Cohen said: “He was a lovely person. Always with a joke, always making a smile. He had his humour.”
Mrs Cohen added: “He would visit us often. Before every festival we would have him over for a meal.
“He was very beloved. He was a figure around here. If you saw Melvin you stopped and talked,” she added: “He didn’t always have it easy. He had health issues, but he was always with a joke and a smile.”
The couple told The Telegraph that Cravitz had two heart operations and no children of his own, but was regarded as a beloved uncle figure by his wife Karen’s children from a previous marriage.
“He didn’t have immediate family of his own but the family he had he was desperate to connect with,” said Mrs Cohen. “This is a tragedy for all of them.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes, who’s coordinating the casualty response, said: “My deepest sympathies are with Mr Daulby and Mr Cravitz’s loved ones at this extremely hard time.
“Specially trained Family Liaison Officers are in contact with them. They will continue to update them on the investigation and support them throughout the coronial process
“Whilst there are processes which must be followed, we commit to being mindful of cultural preferences and sensitivities and to ensuring that these men and their loved ones’ wishes are respected.”
Police named Jihad al-Shamie as the attacker, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who wore an explosive device as he drove into a group gathering for worship at the synagogue before stabbing members of the congregation. He was shot dead by police seven minutes after officers were alerted to the attack.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said Shamie had not had any previous referrals to Prevent, the government’s anti-radicalisation programme.
It is understood he entered the UK as a young child and was granted British citizenship in 2006 as a minor.
