“It is unbelievable how people use weapons to kill,” his widow Dikla told Channel 12 on Monday. “You can’t say a word out of place to anyone. Stay in your car. People will come out with a knife or a rifle.”According to reports, the incident began when her 40-year-old husband attempted to park his car at the Azrieli Mall, next to the car of 74-year-old Victor Katan and his wife, who was sitting in the driver’s seat. Hisdai left his own vehicle to inform Katan’s wife that she was taking up two parking spaces. According to Dikla Hisdai, the woman felt threatened and began hitting her husband with her purse.
According to attorney Daniel Kfir, who represents Katan, Ofer allegedly pushed the woman, which led Victor to shoot him in the leg.The widow said that her husband, bleeding and in pain, asked Katan: “Are you normal? Why did you shoot me in the leg?”Katan then shot him in the chest. Magen David Adom paramedics treated Hisdai at the scene, after which he was taken to Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Tzrifin where he was pronounced dead.“I told my [nine-year-old] daughter to stay in the car but she didn’t listen,” Dikla said. “She ran out of the car and began crying and screaming ‘I want my daddy!’”Kfir claimed that his client shot and killed Hisdai to protect his wife.Katan suffers from dementia, Kfir told Channel 12 news.A security guard, Hisdai was the sole provider for his family. His wife suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as does one of their daughters. A second daughter suffers from cerebral palsy (CP).Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “A father was murdered because of an argument about parking. Terrible. MK Haim Katz updated me on the aid that the Social Affairs and Social Services Ministry will provide to the widow and Ofir’s daughters.“I’ve also heard of the moving mobilization of many citizens for the sake of the family in this difficult time,” added Netanyahu. “We must not accept such shocking incidents. There is no place for violence among us and we will not tolerate it.”According to Channel 12, while security guards are required by law to undergo a mental evaluation to get a gun license, regular citizens are not.And, if what Katan’s lawyer says is correct and that his client suffers from dementia, a legal requirement to undergo a mental evaluation would have prevented his weapon’s permit from being renewed.Meanwhile on Sunday, a life guard at a pool in Netivot was stabbed when he attempted to break up a fight between two swimmers. Hospital staff workers routinely complain about patients attacking them; while the attackers are usually arrested, this is a major source of stress in Israeli society.Tzvi Joffre and Alon Einhorn contributed to this report.
Almost NIS 1m. raised in crowdfunding appeal in support of Ramle widow
The shooting victim was gunned down in front of his wife and children.
