Mentally ill man shot dead after trying to snatch soldier's weapon

Police say man broke out of psychiatric hospital before arriving at busy Ashkelon Junction carrying a plastic pistol he used to threaten soldier and snatch her rifle; police source calls incident 'a tragic event taking place in the midst of a wave of terror'
Matan Tzuri, Yoav Zitun|
A mentally ill man who broke out of a psychiatric hospital was shot and killed Sunday evening after he managed to snatch a soldier's weapon at a busy junction near the southern city of Ashkelon.
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  • According to the police, the man — a mental patient in his 20s — arrived at the Ashkelon Junction carrying a plastic pistol which he used to threaten one of the soldiers standing there and snatch her rifle. According to eyewitnesses, he reportedly attempted to use the soldier's weapon but was unable to operate it.
    2 View gallery
    זירת ניסיון הפיגוע בצומת אשקלון
    זירת ניסיון הפיגוע בצומת אשקלון
    The scene of incident
    (Photo: Tom Oren-Danenberg)
    The man was shot and neutralized by Col. Eliav Elbaz, the commander of the military’s Binyamin Territorial Brigade, who happened to pass at the scene of the attack.
    The preliminary investigation of the incident revealed that a bus driver who was standing at a traffic light and noticed the snatching drew the attention of Col. Elbaz who began chasing the suspect and shot him while he was in possession of the soldier's rifle.
    Security forces initially suspected this was a nationalist incident and launched scans after any potential accomplices. The searches were called off after forces learned about the man's identity.
    "It turns out that this is a very difficult, tragic event, which is taking place in the midst of a wave of terrorism across the country when tensions are running high," a police source said.
    "We are investigating the incident and trying to understand how [the man] was perceived as a threat. Further details will be revealed in the coming hours with the IDF's help."
    2 View gallery
    מח"ט בנימין אל"מ אליאב אלבז
    מח"ט בנימין אל"מ אליאב אלבז
    Col. Eliav Elbaz, the commander of the military’s Binyamin Territorial Brigade
    According to reports, Hazem’s two brothers, who are suspected of aiding him to carry out the terror shooting, managed to evade the Israeli forces alongside their father, who has previously voiced his support for his son’s actions.
    At the same time, a stabbing attack took place in the Cave of the Patriarchs, where a terrorist was shot and killed after she stabbed and lightly wounded a Border Police officer stationed at the religious site.
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