Israeli Court Sentences Father to 10 Years for Killing Adopted Son After Shooting and Stabbing

The Lod District Court sentenced Shay Blum from Maccabim to 10 years in prison for fatally shooting his adopted son, Omri Blum, nine times and then stabbing him in the heart. The court also imposed an additional 12 months suspended sentence. The sentencing followed a plea agreement in which Shay was convicted of manslaughter under diminished responsibility. The father is set to begin serving his sentence in January 2027.

Omri, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol syndrome, was adopted by Shay and his wife about 25 years ago. Since 2019, Omri lived in a hostel for residents on the autism spectrum but visited his parents regularly. In July 2023, the parents sought to cancel their guardianship due to difficulties managing Omri's behavior. On July 14, 2023, after Omri left the hostel with friends and their vehicle broke down in Jerusalem, police were called. Initially, the parents refused to take him home but later agreed. After returning, Shay and Omri went to a nearby grove where a confrontation occurred.

According to the amended indictment, Shay, carrying a licensed firearm, tried to convince Omri to return to the hostel and take his medication. Omri, armed with a knife, threatened Shay, who believed Omri intended to stab him and fired nine shots from about one meter away. After Omri fell, Shay stabbed him twice in the left chest, leaving the knife embedded in his heart. The court found that Shay's actions exceeded the limits of self-defense but recognized mitigating circumstances due to his neurological illness, neuro-Behçet's disease, which had severely weakened him physically and mentally.

Omri's adoptive mother, Professor Galia Blum, described the shooting as an excessive reaction, noting that Shay initially testified he fired three shots but the victim had nine bullet wounds and two stab wounds. She said Shay acted out of fear for himself and the family but questioned the severity of his response. The court highlighted Omri's positive qualities, including his emotional intelligence and kindness, and acknowledged the profound loss his death represents.

Both prosecution and defense requested the 10-year sentence, which the judges accepted despite noting it did not fully reflect the gravity of the crime. The court also ordered Shay to pay Omri's biological mother 50,000 shekels in compensation. The ruling emphasized the sanctity of life and the serious breach caused by Shay's actions, while considering his health condition in mitigation.