Baby Among the 11 Injured in Car Ramming Attack Near Jerusalem's Central Bus Station

Jerusalem, 14 December, 2015 (TPS) -- Jerusalem was hit with a vehicular terrorist attack this afternoon at the Chords Bridge near the city’s Central Bus Station. The number of victims injured in the car-ramming attack was the highest of any one attack during the current wave of terrorist attacks.

The terrorist, 21-year-old Muhsan Hassunah, who rammed his car into the bus stop was a Palestinian from an the Arab neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem, Beit Hanina. Police reported that the terrorist drove into a bus stop on Herzl Boulevard near Jerusalem’s Chords Bridge, directly hitting a crowd of people standing at the bus stop.

According to a police spokesperson, “a civilian security guard who noticed the attack, immediately shot and killed the terrorist before he managed to exit the vehicle and attack the civilians. An ax was found in the terrorist’s vehicle,” he said.

Jerusalem District Police Chief, Moshe Edri also praised the swift response of the security guard. “His quick and accurate response which neutralized the terrorist prevented an even bigger attack.”

Upon arriving at the scene, Magen David Adom paramedics had provided first aid treatment to eleven civilians before transporting six of them to Shaarei Tzedek hospital. Five of the victims were transported to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in light condition, with the youngest victim being 13-years-old and the oldest being 43-years-old.

Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital was also treating a one year old baby injured in the attack who was transferred from Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. A spokeswoman from Hadassah Ein Kerem said that the baby was suffering from a serious leg injury, and that it had been anesthetized and prepared to undergo surgery on his leg. Later on in the evening, it was reported that the surgery had been completed but that his situation would only be known in the coming hours.

Another four civilians were transported to Hadassah Ein Kerem for treatment of shock symptoms.

Shortly after arriving at the scene of the attack, General Manager and and spokesperson of United Recovery, Israel’s volunteer emergency rescues service, released a statement. “When I arrived, the volunteers and I provided first aid to a young boy and his mother along with a number of pedestrians who were hit by the vehicle. We were able to hear hear gun shots in the area. All of the victims who were hit, were suffering from wounds and were treated while fully conscious,” he said.

Jerusalem has been hit by multiple stabbing and vehicular attacks during the last two months which have resulted many deaths and over one hundred injuries.

Jonathan Benedek contributed to this report.