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Yoni Finlay is believed to have been hit by a police bullet at Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue in Crumpsall in October
Dan HaygarthThursday 04 December 2025 10:13 GMT
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A man who survived being shot during the terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester in October has said “what happened to me was a miracle”.
Yoni Finlay is believed to have been hit by a police bullet at Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue in Crumpsall on October 2, as he barricaded the doors in an attempt to stop attacker Jihad Al-Shamie.
Worshippers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed after Al-Shamie, a Syrian-born UK citizen, drove his car into the gates of the synagogue and then began attacking with a knife, wearing a fake suicide belt.
The 35-year-old attacker was shot dead by armed police. Three other men were treated in hospital for serious injuries following the attack.
Mr Finlay was asked on the podcast Ready To Talk With Emma Barnett how he has processed the horrific events of that day.
open image in galleryYoni Finlay spoke to Emma Barnett about how he is processing the attack (Facebook/Handout)In a clip played on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “It’s incredibly difficult. People have asked me how my faith is now after what happened, and the only answer is it’s stronger than ever.
“And I think the only way I can get through this is by faith. I know that what happened to me was a miracle. I know that for whatever reason, God chose to save me on that day, which gives me responsibility as well.”
He added: “Because I was centimetres, millimetres, whatever it was, you know, if I’d be one step to the left or one step to the… who knows, I wouldn’t be here now. So again, it’s dealing with that.
“But then that’s where my faith comes in. For whatever reason, I’ve been given more time.”
Mr Finlay also recalled the moment that police officers got to the scene, before opening fire. He said: “So the police arrived and came into the courtyard.
“He came down the steps towards them quite aggressively. They were shouting ‘armed police’.
“And presumably, because of the bomb that they thought he had, they had to open fire. They had to stop him.
“So they shot him a number of times, and he went down, but he got back up.”
open image in galleryPolice at the scene of the attack in Manchester in October (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)He added: “He got back up after he’d been shot and again, quite aggressively, moved towards them, which is when they shot him again. And that’s when I felt the bullet go into me.”
Asked what it was like being so close to the attacker, Mr Finlay said: “It’s a very shocking thing to be in the presence of somebody who just wanted to kill Jews. That’s all he wanted to do, and he was prepared to die for that.
“And it’s, it’s not a nice thing to be in the presence of, it really isn’t, and to feel it coming off him. And it really was in waves.
“He was there for one purpose only that morning, because he wanted to kill Jewish people. And it’s a horrific thing to be in the presence of.”
On 27 November, a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said a man, aged 31, had been on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism in connection with the attack.
He is the seventh person to be arrested in connection with the terrorist attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, on 2 October.
