Soldier in friendly fire killing released to house arrest

The reserves soldier accused of shooting civilian Yuval Castleman to death while responding to a terror attack has been ordered to be released to house arrest.

The decision to free Staff Sgt. (res.) Aviad Frija is made after a military court judge notes questions regarding the strength of the prosecution’s evidence, according to the Ynet news site.

Frija was one of two off-duty troops who responded to a terror attack at a Jerusalem bus stop on Thursday, shooting at the two assailants but also at Castleman, an armed civilian who had also opened fire at the terrorists.

Yuval Castleman. (Courtesy)

Frija is accused of firing at Castleman after he had put his gun down and was holding his hands in the air. He was questioned Sunday and arrested the next day.

A lawyer representing Castleman expresses dismay over the decision.

“The fact is Yuval was shot to death while he was putting his hands up, had pushed away his gun, opened his jacket and took out his wallet to show that he had an Israeli ID, while yelling in Hebrew not to shoot,” the attorney says, demanding an “appropriate punishment.”