Rabbi Daniel Walker, the spiritual leader of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, is being credited with physically holding back the synagogue’s entrance doors and shepherding worshippers to safety during Thursday’s Yom Kippur terror attack. Photos from the scene show the rabbi bracing the entrance as congregants sheltered inside, and multiple outlets report he barricaded the doors to stop the attacker getting in.
Greater Manchester Police said two people were killed and four were seriously wounded when a man rammed a car into pedestrians and launched a stabbing spree outside the synagogue. Officers shot the assailant dead within minutes. A vest that appeared to be an explosive device was later deemed non-viable. Counter Terrorism Policing is leading the investigation, and two people have been arrested in connection with the attack.
Police publicly praised “the immediate bravery of security staff and the worshippers inside,” saying those actions prevented the attacker from entering the packed building. Eyewitnesses quoted by British media singled out Rabbi Walker’s calm leadership and quick decision to shut and barricade the doors. “He shut the doors to the synagogue to stop him getting inside… He is a hero,” one congregant said.
British Prime Minister Starmer condemned the terror attack
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as targeting “Jews because they are Jews,” ordered additional protection around synagogues, and chaired an emergency meeting in London. Local authorities and community leaders urged calm and solidarity as police presence increased around Jewish institutions nationwide.
Rabbi Walker has led Heaton Park since 2008, one of Manchester’s prominent Orthodox congregations founded in 1935. He is active in interfaith and communal work across Greater Manchester, including roles with the Jewish Representative Council and Manchester Beth Din.
On Yom Kippur, when synagogues are full from early morning services, the combination of armed police arriving within minutes and the synagogue’s own layered security likely averted a higher death toll. Community organizations are coordinating support for victims’ families and for worshippers who witnessed the violence.