Police Shoot Dead Knife-Wielding Man Charging at Officers in Bat Yam

On Sunday afternoon in Bat Yam, Israeli police fatally shot a man armed with a knife who ran toward them on Shikma Street. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. after officers responded to a report of a 54-year-old man causing damage to vehicles. When the suspect brandished a knife and charged at the officers, who perceived a life-threatening situation, they opened fire to neutralize him. The man was critically wounded and taken to Wolfson Medical Center, where he later died. Authorities are investigating the event, including the possibility that the suspect was mentally unstable.

This case follows a similar incident last Wednesday in Lod, where 28-year-old Sami Gesos was shot dead after running at police with a knife. That event began with a call reporting a young man with a knife near Lod’s municipality. Police confronted Gesos, who reportedly tried to stab an officer before being shot about 500 meters away. His family stated he had been released from a psychiatric facility two months prior and questioned the police’s use of lethal force.

The Bat Yam police confirmed the investigation is ongoing and that the background appears criminal. The police emphasized their rapid response and that the shooting was in direct response to the threat posed by the suspect. Both incidents have raised concerns about handling cases involving mentally ill individuals and the use of force by law enforcement.