During the harrowing synagogue assault, a volunteer security guard recounted the terrifying moment he feared for his life as two close friends were struck by what is suspected to be police gunfire.
Ivor Rosenberg was on duty as a volunteer security guard when Jihad al Shamie, 35, initiated his violent attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall.
Rosenberg recalled encountering al Shamie outside the synagogue shortly before the attack, sensing something was amiss. The assailant had been giving contradictory explanations to different individuals, claiming he was searching for his vehicle or a nearby pub.
“He looked me in the eye and asked, ‘What are you staring at?'” Rosenberg recounted. “I replied, ‘I’m not sure’… then he said, ‘You’re very brave standing inside the fence’ before walking away.”
As Rosenberg ascended the stairs back toward the synagogue, a sudden loud crash startled him.
“I turned around to see a vehicle had violently collided with the gate’s wall,” he said.
He described how Alan Levy, the synagogue’s chairman, managed to secure the main entrance while Rosenberg rushed to the office to call emergency services. “I was shouting into the phone, ‘We’re under attack! We’re under attack!'” he said. “I could hear the attacker pounding on the doors, threatening to kill everyone inside.”
Looking out the window, Rosenberg saw al Shamie aggressively striking the synagogue door with a large knife. “I was absolutely terrified,” he admitted.
He and a group of nine or ten others quickly gathered chairs to barricade the door, holding it shut against the attacker. It was during this tense moment that a bullet pierced the door, injuring two of Rosenberg’s friends.
Following the police’s initial gunfire at al Shamie, Rosenberg witnessed the attacker attempting to rise again.
“I yelled, ‘He’s getting up again!’ Then we heard another shot. Yoni, who was standing just a few feet from me, suddenly dropped to the ground,” he said.
Yoni Finlay is currently hospitalized and recovering. Greater Manchester Police believe he and Adrian Daulby, 53, were unintentionally hit by police gunfire while officers were trying to stop al Shamie. Tragically, Daulby succumbed to his injuries. Melvin Cravitz, 66, who also played a crucial role in preventing al Shamie from entering the synagogue, lost his life during the attack.
Rosenberg pointed out a bullet hole in the door and believes the same bullet wounded both Finlay and Daulby, who was positioned behind the door with him.
At first, Rosenberg thought Finlay, a longtime friend, was ducking to avoid the gunfire, but he soon realized the severity of the situation. “He told me, ‘I’ve been hit.’ I believe the bullet passed through him and struck Mr. Daulby. For a moment, I thought, ‘We’re all going to die.’ It was terrifying,” Rosenberg said. “I took off my jacket and cradled Yoni’s head. It was an incredibly frightening experience.”
He described both men as “heroes” and has received encouraging news that Finlay continues to improve in hospital.
Two additional individuals remain hospitalized with serious injuries-a security guard suffering from injuries caused by the vehicle impact and a community worker who sustained stab wounds.
Rosenberg admitted he is still grappling with the trauma of that day. “I’m fine until someone asks how I’m doing-then it becomes difficult,” he shared.
At the funeral, Rosenberg was accompanied by Laurence Abramson, the synagogue’s eldest member. Abramson was approaching the synagogue for prayers when the attack began and witnessed the police firing at al Shamie to prevent him from entering.
“I was crossing the street toward the synagogue when I heard ‘bang, bang, bang,'” Abramson recalled. “The sound of gunfire haunts me constantly. Even when I sleep, I hear it.”
Now 86 years old, Abramson has been a member of Heaton Park Synagogue for eight decades. “My father helped establish this synagogue,” he said. “I had my Bar Mitzvah and wedding there. It holds immense significance for me.”
Reflecting on Daulby, Rosenberg described him as “the kindest, most gentle man you could ever meet.” He acknowledged the community’s struggle to process the loss. “Life continues, but we will endure. It will be challenging, but we will persevere,” he affirmed.
Al Shamie was fatally shot by police. Authorities have detained four individuals on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, with police granted an additional five days to question them.
0 Comments