Officer Who Fatally Shot Suspect in Umm al-Fahm Under Investigation

An Israeli police officer who shot and killed a suspect in Umm al-Fahm has been questioned under caution by the Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) and subsequently released to house arrest. The incident occurred when the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Ala'a Hamed, allegedly attacked a Border Police officer during an attempted arrest. Initial reports from Kan News stated the officer was released to five days of house arrest and banned from the police station for two weeks and from Umm al-Fahm for 30 days.

Video footage released shows a pursuit in Umm al-Fahm that ended with Hamed's death. According to a police statement, Border Police motorcycle officers on Route 65 noticed a suspicious vehicle and signaled it to stop. The driver, Hamed, did not comply and fled, endangering other road users. A pursuit ensued, joined by Umm al-Fahm station officers, concluding within the city.

The police statement detailed that during the arrest attempt, Hamed behaved suspiciously in his vehicle. When an officer approached, Hamed exited the car, lunged at the officer, and began to attack him. The officer, fearing for his life, opened fire, hitting Hamed.

However, the head of the Joint List party, Professor Yousef Jabareen, stated that video evidence in the family's possession "clearly refutes" the police's account. He asserted that Hamed posed no threat and could have been arrested without lethal force. Jabareen also reported that witnesses told the family that officers attempted to conceal evidence and discussed fabricating a story about Hamed trying to steal an officer's weapon to cover up the incident.