Palestinian killed during police chase in Jerusalem

Police say single shot was fired at car suspected of being stolen because driver was endangering others; the man, pronounced dead at the scene, was in Israel illegally

By ToI Staff 26 January 2019, 9:47 amUpdated at 2:28 pm 0 Edit

Illustrative photo of a police car in Jerusalem, November 2013 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

A Palestinian man was shot and killed by police early Saturday during a car chase in Jerusalem.

The Palestinian, who was in Israel illegally, was traveling in a car suspected of being stolen when it was spotted by police, prompting a hot pursuit.

Police said the vehicle was driving in a way that endangered them and other motorists, leading one of the officers to fire a single shot at the car.

The car was later found abandoned with the wounded Palestinian inside. Paramedics called to the scene pronounced his death.

He was named by Palestinian media as Riyad Shamasneh, from the West Bank town of Qatanna, near Jerusalem.

عاجل| استشهاد الشاب رياض شماسنة من بلدة قطنة برصاص قوات الاحتلال في مدينة القدس المحتلة، فجر اليوم. pic.twitter.com/PxUzwpYNu3

— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) January 26, 2019

Tools for breaking into cars, items suspected of being stolen and a safe were found in the vehicle, police said.

An investigation was opened, and police launched a search for the other passengers who were in the car.

Hebrew media reports later said the Justice Ministry’s Police Internal Investigations Department opened an investigation into the officers involved in the incident.