Man killed in suspected terror attack named as Rabbi Shai Ohayon

Ultra-Orthodox father of four from Petah Tikva is victim of stabbing presumably driven by nationalist reasons; Palestinian suspect arrested and handed to further Shin Bet investigation
Raanan Ben Tzur |
The man who was killed in a suspected terror attack Wednesday afternoon has been identified as 39-year-old Rabbi Shai Ohayon of Petah Tikva.
  • Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter


  • A relative of the victim said he was "a perfect husband, a perfect father and a perfect son-in-law. His wife at home cannot process it, she is in shock. It is incomprehensible."
    4 View gallery
    הרב שי אוחיון
    הרב שי אוחיון
    Rabbi Shai Ohayon and the scene of the attack
    (Photo: Courtesy of the family, AP)
    He said that Ohayon would teach Torah lessons in Sha'ar Ephraim, where the family lived until two years ago.
    "Everyone would come to hear his lessons. He knew how to get to everyone during his lessons. It's a heavy loss."
    Yosef David - a close friend of the victim - rode the bus with him from their Kollel in Kfar Saba where they are studying to Sgula junction - where the event took place.
    "He studied and also worked and supported his family with dignity. He was a righteous man, an amazing man," David said. "The Lord has taken a holy man, he died in the name of the Lord. I struggle to process it, it's a great loss. His family struggles to process it."
    Ohayon is survived by his wife and four children - aged 4, 9, 11, and 13.
    4 View gallery
    זירת אירוע הדקירה בפתח תקווה
    זירת אירוע הדקירה בפתח תקווה
    The scene of the attack
    (Photo: TPS)
    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said his condolences to the grieving family.
    "In the name of all Israeli citizens, I sent condolences from the bottom of my heart to the Ohayon family for the murder of family rather, Rabbi Shai, in a terror attack today in Petah Tikvah," said Netanyahu. "The heart aches. My wife Sara and I hug the family - a wife and four children who were left fatherless today. We will act to demolish the terrorist's home and see that he carry out the most severe punishment."
    A 46-year-old Palestinian holding a permit to work in Israel was arrested by police following a manhunt. The father of six resides near the West Bank city of Nablus and does not appear to belong to any Palestinian terror groups.
    Police said they handed the suspect over to the Shin Bet domestic security services.
    4 View gallery
    זירת אירוע הדקירה בפתח תקווה
    זירת אירוע הדקירה בפתח תקווה
    The scene of the attack
    (Photo: AP)
    Magen David Adom teams said that upon arriving at the scene, they saw a man with multiple stab wounds to his upper body near Segula Junction in the city of Petah Tikva. The teams provided him with medical treatment and transferred him to Rabin Medical Center in the city. He was pronounced dead shortly after.
    "The wounded man was lying on the sidewalk unconscious and suffering from injuries to his upper body," said MDA paramedic Ilan Mualem.
    "We immediately began life-saving medical treatment that included bandaging, stopping the bleeding and performing advanced resuscitation. We quickly put him in an intensive care unit vehicle and evacuated him in a critical condition to the hospital."
    4 View gallery
    זירת אירוע הדקריה בפתח תקווה
    זירת אירוע הדקריה בפתח תקווה
    The scene of the attack
    (Photo: Tsada)
    According to a preliminary investigation, the suspect stabbed the victim due to his ultra-Orthodox attire.
    A passerby who witnessed the incident shouted "terrorist" and started chasing the assailant. He grabbed the suspect and waited for police to arrive.
    Comments
    The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
    ""