This update was filed from New York prior to the start of the holy Sabbath.
Security forces and emergency medical personnel were summoned to Hagai Street in the Old City of Jerusalem Friday afternoon, following reports of a stabbing attack. The attacking terrorist tried to stab a police officer. He was shot and killed.
The terrorist was identified late in the day as Ahmad Mahameed, 31, a resident of the Israeli Arab city of Umm al-Fahm, it was cleared for publication.
Mahameed attacked the police officer at around 5:30 pm on Sha’ar Hagai Street, near the Damascus Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem, after leaving the Temple Mount compound area, where he may have prayed and/or heard to a radical Islamist sermon at the Al Aqsa Mosque.
Within moments he reached a group of Israeli police officers stationed at the site, and immediately tried to stab one of them with a knife. Other officers at the scene shot and killed the attacker, neutralizing the threat.
There were no other physical injuries reported; however, according to the Magen David Adom emergency medical response service, two women were treated for trauma at the scene.
Israel Police subsequently went to Umm al-Fahm to search the area as well as his home and to interrogate his family and neighbors as the investigation into the attack got underway.
This update was filed from New York prior to the start of the holy Sabbath.