Court Rejects Police Remand and Rebukes Investigation in Negev Shooting Case
A Be'er Sheva court released a suspect in an alleged Negev farm break-in, sharply rebuking police for failing to question armed civilians who shot at and seriously wounded a passenger in the fleeing car.
A Be'er Sheva Magistrate's Court has released a suspect arrested in connection with an alleged farm break-in, sharply criticizing the police investigative unit for failing to question the armed civilians who shot at the fleeing vehicle and wounding one of the occupants.
The Incident and Police Investigation
The case began when a farm owner in the Negev received an alert from tracking devices indicating unauthorized entry. Accompanied by another individual, the owner rushed to the scene, spotted moving lights near a generator warehouse, and gave chase. The suspects entered a vehicle parked in an unusual location. The pursuers ordered them to stop, fired in the air, and then shot directly at the vehicle.
One of the passengers was seriously wounded. The pursuers called for medical assistance and the police, leading to the arrest of the second passenger, the wounded man's cousin. During the remand hearing, defense attorney Natali Utan Assulin questioned police representative Rachel Ron regarding the failure to detain the shooter.
"The guy who almost murdered his son, who is currently in critical condition, did you arrest him? Did you question him under caution?" asked Utan Assulin. "No," Ron replied.
Judicial Rejection of Remand
Judge Yaron Golan strongly dismissed the police request for a seven-day extension, ordering the immediate release of the suspect without conditions.
"It should be noted that the investigative unit provided no reasonable or logical explanation as to why it did not investigate the shooter and why it did not seize the weapon for examination," Judge Golan wrote in his decision.
The court emphasized that there was no reasonable suspicion connecting the detained suspect to the farm break-in, as nothing stolen was found in the car, and the complainants themselves lost sight of the original figure they were tracking. Regarding the charge of endangering lives on a public road, the judge ruled that the civilians had brandished weapons without identification as law enforcement officers, justifying the driver's attempt to flee in fear for his life.
Residents of Bir Hadaj explained that the vehicle had stopped due to mechanical trouble near Revtamin, before being confronted by armed individuals, prompting the panicked escape that resulted in the shooting.
