Adrian Daulby died from a single gunshot wound to the chest fired by an armed police officer during the terror attack on a synagogue by Jihad Al-Shamie, Manchester Coroner’s Court has been told.
The 53-year-old was one of two victims killed in the attack on 2 October, during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
The other was Melvin Cravitz, 66.
An inquest into the two men’s deaths was opened in Manchester on Wednesday, before being adjourned.
It heard that Cravitz died from multiple stab wounds inflicted by Shamie.
The 35-year-old killer was on bail for rape at the time of the attack.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, has launched an investigation into the fatal shooting by armed officers, who opened fire on Shamie within seven minutes of the first 999 call.
The inquest heard that Daulby, who was described as a “quiet hero”, had leaped from his seat to block the doors of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue as it came under attack.
He had held the main doors of the synagogue shut as Shamie tried to force his way in to continue his rampage.
Daulby was then struck in the chest while behind the door when an armed officer fired, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.15am, Chief Supt Lewis Hughes of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) told the hearing.
Moments earlier, father-of-three Cravitz died after being stabbed by Syrian-born UK citizen Shamie, who began his attack by driving his Kia Picanto at security staff and the external gates of the synagogue around 9.30am.
Shamie then attacked with a knife and tried to storm the synagogue, wearing a fake suicide belt, before being shot dead by armed police.
Mr Hughes, again giving brief details of the circumstances to the court, said Shamie had used his car, then got out to attack worshippers.
He said: “The offender exited the vehicle armed with a knife and immediately made stabbing motions to Mr Cravitz’s upper torso, head and neck area.”
Members of the public and the Community Security Trust (CST) gave first aid and CPR and the victim was taken to the Manchester Royal Infirmary where 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.
The hearing, lasting around 45 minutes, was then adjourned for a pre-inquest review on 18 February 2026.
