A Jerusalem man who shot and killed an Arab car thief who he thought was armed has been released on bail.
The weekend incident has prompted calls for clearer government guidelines about when Israeli civilians are allowed to fire their personal weapons, an issue that was hotly debated last month during a wave of Palestinian attacks on Jews.
The civilian in this latest shooting works as a security guard and told police he opened fire during a pursuit of Rad Mohammed Sha’aban, 18, of the West Bank city of Ramallah, who had broken into a car and was fleeing the scene with two other Arab youths.
He said Sha’aban turned at one point and appeared ready to use a weapon, prompting him to fire a single fatal shot to Sha’aban’s head.
Police said no weapon was found near the site of the shooting.
The Justice Ministry has come under criticism for failing to clarify what the regulations are for civilian use of guns at a time when police have called on Israelis to carry their weapons in an effort to combat terrorist attacks.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
