Police: Jewish man believed trying to attack soldiers near Jerusalem is killed

A Jewish man who it was feared was attempting to attack security forces at a West Bank checkpoint on Tuesday was shot and killed by Israeli troops manning the site, police said.

Police said he was a 20-year-old Jewish Israeli resident of Jerusalem.

The man approached the Hizme checkpoint near Jerusalem on foot and then apparently tried to stab a member of the security forces, police said in an initial statement.

A later statement said he ran toward troops, and was holding something. Security forces opened fire as they believed they were in “immediate and concrete danger,” the police statement said.

Police said they later located the knife the suspect was holding.

A knife found on a Jewish suspect, believed to have attempted to stab Israeli soldiers in the West Bank before being shot and killed on May 2, 2017 (Israel Police)

The security forces shot the man, seriously injuring him. He later died of his injuries.

There were no injuries to Israeli soldiers.

The checkpoint, which give access from the West Bank to northern Jerusalem, was closed to traffic following the incident, police said.

Judah Ari Gross contributed to this report.