55-year-old man seriously wounded in shooting: police investigate link to Yushaev assassination
MADA medics evacuated the victim to Hillel Yaffe Hospital while he was conscious, suffering from penetrating wounds. Police are investigating whether the incident is connected to the assassination of Yanis Yushaev, who was shot dead on Sunday near Caesarea. Two suspects were arrested in Hadera last night in connection with the murder.
A man aged approximately 55 was seriously wounded today in Or Akiva. MADA medics and paramedics provided emergency treatment at the scene before evacuating him to Hillel Yaffe Hospital. The victim was conscious and suffering from penetrating wounds. Police have opened an investigation to determine, among other possibilities, whether the incident is linked to the surge in criminal tensions following the assassination of Caucasian mafia leader Yanis Yushaev.
Yushaev, 45, a resident of Or Akiva and a father of three, was killed last Sunday by point-blank gunfire at a gas station near Caesarea. He was rushed to Hillel Yaffe Hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead. For years, Yushaev was a high-priority intelligence target for the Hadera police and the Coastal District Central Unit (YAMAR Hof). He had been arrested multiple times on suspicion of involvement in grenade attacks on homes and businesses, shootings, and arson, though most investigations failed to result in indictments.
A breakthrough occurred on Tuesday: following a manhunt, YAMAR Hof intelligence led YAMAM counter-terrorism fighters to raid a warehouse in Hadera, where they arrested two suspects. Authorities believe one suspect was the perpetrator, while the other provided him with a hideout. The deployment of YAMAM for a criminal arrest is an exceptionally rare measure, underscoring the gravity of the case. The suspects are scheduled to appear at the Haifa Magistrate's Court today for a detention hearing.
Police emphasize that the investigation is ongoing and efforts are focused on identifying additional suspects. There are significant concerns that the assassination of a senior figure like Yushaev could destabilize the criminal landscape in the Sharon region. Given that the organization's activities were primarily centered in Or Akiva, Hadera, and the Sharon area, investigators are working to clarify if today's shooting is a direct result of a power struggle triggered by the murder.
