Suspect Arrested for Pepper Spraying 9-Year-Old in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur

Jerusalem police arrested a 22-year-old suspect on Tuesday evening in connection with pepper-spraying a 9-year-old boy in the Mamilla area of Jerusalem during Yom Kippur. The arrest followed an intensive investigation by detectives from the Lev Habira station and the David precinct of the Jerusalem district, in cooperation with detectives from the Tzfat station. Investigators collected evidence from the scene and reconstructed the incident with the victim's father. Intelligence gathering led to the identification of the suspect, a resident of Ganei Modi'in, who had been staying in northern Israel and attempted to flee. He was brought to the Lev Habira station for questioning regarding the motive and circumstances of the attack. Based on the investigation's findings, police are expected to request an extension of his detention at a court hearing on Wednesday. Israeli Police emphasized their zero-tolerance policy for violence and bullying against minors, especially acts with nationalistic or racist motives, and vowed to prosecute the suspect to the fullest extent of the law.