Stabbing Attack At Gas Station in Givat Ze'ev Leaves One Wounded

Jerusalem, 27 January, 2016 (TPS) -- Givat Ze’ev (TPS) – A terrorist carried out a stabbing attack at around 11:00 pm on Wednesday night, January 28, at a gas station in Givat Ze’ev, northwest of Jerusalem.

The terrorist was caught and arrested after stabbing a man 35-year-old who was treated by Magen David Adom paramedics on the spot.

The victim was subsequently evacuated to Sha’arei Tzedek hospital in Jerusalem in serious condition but fully conscious. Shortly thereafter, his situation was deteriorated from moderate to serious.

According to MDA paramedic Dudi Gur, the victim had suffered a number of stab wounds.

“When we arrived at the scene we saw a 36-year-old man lying on the ground at a gas station fully conscious but who had sustained a number of stab wounds to his upper body.”

“We immediately put him in the ambulance and performed emergency treatment while we evacuated him to the hospital. We also provided first aid to stop the bleeding. His situation was moderate-serious,” Gur said

The terrorist, 17, from the village of Bir Nabala northeast of Jerusalem, was transported to Hadassah Har Hatzofim hospital in light condition after civilians nearby pursued him.

Tazpit Press Service (TPS), spoke to one of the Israeli civilians, Amir, who chased and caught the terrorist with his friends. “I went to eat at the station; I entered the shop and we heard loud screams outside. I left immediately and saw the terrorist with a knife in his hand,” Amir said.

“My friend and I started to run after him and then we were joined by two more men. The terrorist ran until a man jumped on him and held him by his legs. We pinned him down on the ground until security forces arrived while he tried to resist and to escape,” Amir told TPS

From a statement issued by the police describing how the incident unfolded, it appeared that the terrorist was carrying two knives.

However, from the initial details it was unclear as to whether the terrorist had an accomplice, which prompted security forces to close off the entire area to conduct a search.

“He arrived at a gas station in Givat Ze’ev, opened the door to one of the food court restaurants and stabbed and seriously injured a 50-year-old man who was standing at the entrance,” the statement read.

“The terrorist attempted to flee the scene but after civilians nearby realized that an attack had just taken place, they chased after him. As he ran he threw the knife and managed to run approximately 200 meters until the people were able to catch him and bring him under their control.”

The statement added that “a police unit which was dealing with another incident nearby was called to the scene, arrived shortly afterward and arrested the terrorist. A second knife was caught on the terrorist.”

Nevertheless, a subsequent statement from the police confirmed that the terrorist had carried two knives.

A spokeswoman from Har Hatzofim hospital, where the attacker was being treated said that he was “in light condition having suffered a number of blows and was fully conscious.”

The local police commander praised the response of both the civilians who  had stopped the attacker from escaping and the actions of the security forces.