‘Vichman killed in self defense,’ says murder suspect’s friend

One of the suspects in last weekend’s murder in Beersheba, told to Channel 2 news on Friday that his friend stabbed Gadi Vichman in self-defense.

Chen Harel claimed that Vichman entered the park and verbally assaulted the teens, including himself and Eden Ohayon, the prime murder suspect. Harel said Vichman then attacked Ohayon and knocked him to the ground. At that point Ohayon drew a knife and stabbed Vichman out of self-defense.

“If he hadn’t done it, who knows, perhaps he would have died from Vichman’s blows,” he said.

Harel confirmed reports that the police did not send officers to investigate the noise complaint filed by Vichman and his wife. “Had the police shown up… they would have told us to leave and we would have,” Harel said.

Israel Police on Wednesday suspended the police officer who claimed to have investigated the noise complaint filed by Vichman after an investigation found that she had lied.

Vichman had complained to police about a group of teens loitering in the ground floor garden and making noise that kept neighbors awake. Two hours later, he went downstairs to confront the youths and was stabbed to death.