Stolen Car Driver Shot After Crashing Through Checkpoint at Hashmonaim Crossing

A stolen car driver was stopped and shot at short range on Tuesday morning after trying to flee police at the Hashmonaim crossing on Highway 446. Police said they had received a report that the vehicle was heading toward the checkpoint, and officers prepared to intercept it there.

According to the police, when the suspect saw the forces, he accelerated in an attempt to escape, breaking through barriers and hitting them, then striking another vehicle. He then reversed at speed, rammed police cars, and also tried to run over officers. The checkpoint scene was captured on video.

Police said the officers guarding the crossing feared for their lives and opened fire at the driver. He was then arrested. The suspect was identified as a Palestinian resident of Bethlehem.

Medical teams began treating him at the scene, and Hashmonaim crossing was closed to vehicle traffic in both directions. The circumstances of the incident are still under investigation.