7 killed, several hurt in shooting at Jerusalem synagogue; terrorist shot dead

From the Times of Israel

Seven people were shot and killed and at least three others were wounded in a terror shooting attack at a synagogue in Jerusalem’s Neve Yaakov neighborhood, police and medics said Friday night.

According to police, the terrorist arrived by car at around 8:15 p.m. at a building used as a synagogue in the neighborhood in the northern part of East Jerusalem and opened fire.

The attacker then fled the scene toward the Palestinian neighborhood of Beit Hanina — several hundred meters away — where he encountered officers who were called to the scene. Police said the terrorist — a resident of East Jerusalem — was shot dead after he opened fire on the officers while trying to escape on foot.

According to Channel 12 news, the terrorist first shot an elderly woman in the street, then encountered a motorcycle rider and shot him, before reaching the synagogue and opening fire at people outside. Police did not immediately confirm the details.

Speaking to reporters from the scene, police commissioner Kobi Shabtai said the attack was one of the worst Israel had seen in years. “The terrorist shot at everyone he encountered. He got out of the car and began a murderous rampage with a handgun,”

The Magen David Adom ambulance service said its medics declared five victims dead at the scene, and another two victims were declared dead at hospitals in Jerusalem. MDA said the dead included five men, aged 20, 25, 30, 50, and 60, and two women, aged 60 and 70.

Jerusalem District Police Commander Doron Turgeman, speaking to reporters at the scene, said the terrorist had acted alone. Another of these lone wolves; Broksted in Germany, Algeciras in Spain, Leeds in England this week. So many lone wolves with but a single thought and MO.

The terrorist was named as Alqam Khayri, 21, a resident of East Jerusalem with no prior terror-related offenses, Hebrew-language media reports said. Police were reported to have been operating in the neighborhood of at-Tur, where Khayri lived. Palestinian media said the gunman’s father was summoned by police for questioning.

Palestinian media reported that celebrations were being held in the Gaza Strip and in several Palestinian cities in the West Bank following the deadly attack.

The twitter feed of Palestinian Media Center ~ The voice of Palestine to the world is full of celebrations of what they call “The Jerusalem Operation”; Nablus, Bethlehem and Beirut.

Also details of youth clashes with the Israeli police and this little snippet of interesting information.

“The perpetrator of the Beit Hanina attack tonight, Khairi Alqam, is the grandson of the martyr Khairi Alqam, who was stabbed to death in 1998 by settlers in occupied Jerusalem.” and

“The bodies of the dead are on the ground. The first moments of the heroic Jerusalem operation carried out by the martyr Alqam Khairy and led to the death of 7 settlers.”

Tensions were also high in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount on Friday, though Muslim prayers went ahead without issue.