Heaton Park attack victim's stepdaughter speaks as new terror charge filed
The stepdaughter of Melvin Kravitz, killed in the Heaton Park synagogue attack, speaks out as a man is charged with failing to disclose terrorist information.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The stepdaughter of a man killed in the Heaton Park synagogue attack has spoken publicly for the first time, as counter-terrorism police announced a new charge linked to the incident.
Shirelle Drezner said her stepfather, 66-year-old Melvin Kravitz, was murdered purely because he was Jewish. He was one of two worshippers killed in the attack on the synagogue in Greater Manchester on 2 October last year, carried out by Jihad Al Shami, a terrorist who pledged allegiance to Islamic State. Three other people were injured. Al Shami was shot dead by police at the scene.
Speaking to ITV News, Ms Drezner described the moment she learned what had happened. During Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, she and her family were not using phones. A friend sent a video of the attack, and she recognised her stepfather's shoes. She said: "When she described his shoes, and at the same time her husband was describing the shoes, they just matched the description."
Ms Drezner said she believes the attack was a hate crime that changed Jewish and British society. She paid tribute to her stepfather's character, describing his "cheeky smile" and his "forgiving nature". She said he was a "mensch", the Yiddish term for someone who is simply good, and she is setting up a charity in his honour called Mensch Like Melvin to inspire kindness across communities.
The attack has also raised questions about police failures. It has since emerged that Greater Manchester Police had Al Shami's mobile phone on two occasions in the months before the attack but did not examine it. Ms Drezner said she appreciated the accountability shown by the force, but added: "Could it have been prevented? Could he have survived? And if anywhere the answer is even a small yes, then from that lessons need to be learned."
During the attack, a stranger ran towards the danger and held Mr Kravitz's hand as he lay injured. Ms Drezner said that act of kindness was exactly what her stepfather would have done.
In a separate development, counter-terrorism police have charged a 49-year-old man in connection with the attack. Hekmat Omar Ali Kahim, an Iraqi national from the Higher Broughton area of Greater Manchester, has been charged with failing to disclose information regarding terrorist activity. This is the eighth arrest related to the synagogue attack, but the first charge that directly relates to what happened on 2 October. He is due to appear before Westminster Magistrates Court tomorrow.
Counter Terrorism Police said the charge was a "significant development" in their investigation and demonstrated their commitment to establishing the full picture behind the incident.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester Police had the attacker's mobile phone twice but did not examine it. | |
| Hekmat Omar Ali Kahim was charged with failing to disclose information regarding terrorist activity. | |
| Melvin Kravitz was killed in the Heaton Park synagogue attack because he was Jewish. | |
| The attacker drove his car into a crowd of worshippers and then stabbed Melvin Kravitz. | |
| The terrorist, Jihad Al Shami, was shot dead by police at the scene. | |
| This is the eighth arrest in relation to the synagogue attack. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This broadcast leads with the stepdaughter's emotional interview, giving it extended airtime and including her reflections on the attack, the police failures, and the charity she is launching. It also delivers the breaking news of the new terror charge at the end, with a statement from counter-terrorism police. The tone is human and detailed, focusing on the personal impact and the need for accountability.
- “I don't want what happened to Melvin to ever be forgotten because that is a moment that changed Jewish society, British society.”
- “Could it have been prevented? Could he have survived? And if anywhere the answer is even a small yes, then from that lessons need to be learnt.”
- “That's his legacy. How that has a ripple effect forever.”
This is a condensed version of the same story, focusing on the key elements of the stepdaughter's interview and the new charge. It retains the emotional core but trims some of the detail, such as the stranger's act of kindness. The tone is more news-bulletin style, with a clear emphasis on the charge as a developing story.
- “It's so important that that day and what happened to him, it's never diluted, it's never justified.”
- “Could it have been prevented? Could he have survived? And if anywhere, the answer is even a small yes, then from that, lessons need to be learned.”
- “And today we learn that a man has been charged in connection with the Heaton Park synagogue attack.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.