Tragedy in Jerusalem: 25-year-old yeshiva student suspected as terrorist and shot dead

Tragedy as a result of mistaken identification tonight (Wednesday) in Jerusalem: on Yirmiyahu street corner Oholiav, adjacent to Migdalei Habira towers which house the Ministry of Health, it was reported shortly before midnight that a terrorist was trying to carry out a stabbing attack, but he was shot and killed.

However, a check of the body revealed that he was in fact Jewish. He suspected soldiers and asked them to identify themselves. They refused to do so. The debate developed into a violent confrontation between the soldiers and the civilian during which he was shot. Behadrey Haredim learned that he was a 25-year-old yeshiva student who lived in Har Nof, Jerusalem.

Initial questioning revealed that two members of the security forces tried to board a bus, a yeshiva student who was a security guard by profession, asked them for identification. They wanted to test him and they claim he attacked them with fists and tried to snatch the weapon of one of them. Initially a nearby security guard tried to neutralize him using a stun gun but later after failing to take hold of him, they fired at him, killing him.

The suspect's identity is being checked.

Yehuda Meshi Zahav, ZAKA chairman, tells Behadrey Haredim: "I came with ZAKA team to the scene which was seemingly a 'routine' attack these days - an attempted stabbing and the terrorist was killed. I asked to cover the body in a black bag. Once I was asked to take care of the body, I saw that he was Jewish and had a mistaken identification. Immediately I informed the police and Zaka exchanged the bag to a white one. We are in times of terror and are rushed to every scene of attack. In Be'er Sheva there was a mistake and an innocent person was killed, and today a life was taken because of mistaken identity. I appeal to all gun owners to act with more discretion."

Zeev Kashash, Chairman of Ichud Hatzalah, said after the attack which took place near the offices of the organization: "I was at a meeting at the offices of Ichud Hatzalah and heard gunshots. Together with other volunteers Ii went out into the scene and by miracle there were no other casualties. Passersby said that it was an attempt to steal a gun from a soldier who was at the bus stop near the offices of Ichud Hatzalah and subsequently they opened fire at him and he was neutralized. Large police forces are operating on the scene."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!