A municipal Tel Aviv patrol officer was killed in a terrorist shooting in a busy area of Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, as confirmed by medics and police. The gunman, a member of the Islamic Jihad Palestinian terror group, was shot dead by the officer’s patrol colleague.
According to Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, on Saturday evenings, when numerous eateries, coffee shops, and pubs are bustling, the two security officers from the Tel Aviv municipality approached an individual they observed strolling at the intersection of Montefiore and Nachalat Binyamin streets.
As per authorities in law enforcement, the perpetrator initially declined to respond to their calls, and while the duo dismounted their motorcycles, the Palestinian individual produced a firearm and commenced shooting, striking one of the officers.
Medical officials at the nearby Ichilov Hospital pronounced his demise. The officer, identified later as 42-year-old Chen Amir, sustained critical injuries after being shot in the head, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service.
The hospital declared, “In a courageous deed, he gave up his life to rescue numerous lives and thwart a bigger assault by employing his body as a barrier… He was slain.”
Ichilov stated that his relatives agreed to donate his organs. Amir was a married father of three.
The second officer returned fire at the gunman. Footage showed the moment the second security patrolman chased after him and shot him.
The terrorist was also transported to Ichilov Hospital, which subsequently announced his demise.
At the scene, Shabtai informed the officer that our suspicions grew as we approached him on our loud motorcycles. We didn’t make eye contact with the suspect, who was standing near with a backpack. Shabtai’s partner spotted the suspect and said that he shot the officer who was the gunman.
The officer stated, “My colleague was the first one, he successfully propped up his motorcycle, but simultaneously the terrorist brandished a handgun and commenced shooting at my partner.”
The officer added, “I continued to chase him after he fell to the ground and the shooting persisted. He also attempted to fire one or two bullets at me, but he missed. In response, I pulled out my handgun and fired at both him and myself.”
Shabtai praised the officer, stating that “there is no uncertainty that your prompt and skilled intervention rescued a life.”
Shabtai added, “By confronting the shooter and remaining vigilant, you are able to witness the bustling cafes and comprehend the enormity of the catastrophe that was narrowly averted, just a few meters from our location.”
Amir, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “successfully prevented a significant assault and rescued numerous lives.” Bat Yam Mayor Tzvika Brot praised Amir as a “hero who foiled the attack and sacrificed his life to protect others.”
The Palestinian gunman was identified by the security agency Bet Shin as a member of the Islamic Jihad terrorist group, in the northern refugee camp of Jenin in the West Bank.
عاجل| مصادر عبرية: “ارتقاء كامل أبو بكر، منفذ عملية تل أبيب، وهو من قرية رمانة غرب جنين”. pic.twitter.com/0mZSmYO3ZN
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) August 5, 2023
Kamel Abu Bakr, a 22-year-old individual from Rummanah, a town close to Jenin, had been concealing himself within the Jenin refugee camp for the previous half-year, as per the Shin Bet. He had been sought after by Israeli security forces for discharging a firearm at IDF soldiers in the West Bank.
Abu Bakr did not have an entry permit to Israel due to his affiliation with Islamic Jihad and the previous shooting attack.
The organization was examining how he gained entry into Israel.
“He arrived with the intention of becoming a martyr,” the police commissioner informed the media present, mentioning that the suspect was carrying a letter related to martyrdom.
Caution: Disturbing video content.
תיעוד רגעי הירי במחבל בנחלת בנימין פינת מונטיפיורי בתל אביב pic.twitter.com/iz1X4EeCXB
— Bar Peleg (@bar_peleg) August 5, 2023
The recovery desires of the severely wounded policeman were conveyed by the coordinators of the Tel Aviv demonstrations, on Kaplan Street, who stated that their gathering was proceeding as planned, in “complete collaboration with the law enforcement.” The act of terror occurred while demonstrators opposing the government’s judicial reform were assembling for the 31st consecutive week of protests in Tel Aviv and across the country.
Since the start of the year, in addition to the recent shooting on Saturday, numerous individuals have been severely injured and 26 individuals have lost their lives, amidst a series of terrorist incidents by Palestinians in Israel and the West Bank. As a result, tensions have continued to be elevated throughout the region, leading to the occurrence of this shooting.