Northern Israeli council official suspected of shooting axe-wielding man to death
The incident in Julis appeared to have been spurred by an argument.
By JPOST.COM STAFF, YONATAN HILLELIUpdated: SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 10:54Israel Police patrol car [File](photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
A senior official from the predominantly Druse northern local council of Julis was arrested on suspicion of shooting to death a resident who apparently tried to attack him on Monday morning.The background of the incident appeared to have been spurred by an argument.According to initial accounts, the shooting occurred after an approximately 45-year-old man attempted to strike the official with an axe in front of passerby outside the council's office.Emergency response crews and police were called to the scene, and Magen David Adom medical workers provided treatment to the shot man, but were forced to pronounce his death at the scene.A witness from the scene said the resident had arrived to the council's office armed with an axe and attempted to harm the official.Sources with knowledge of the matter told The Jerusalem Post's Hebrew sister publication Ma'ariv that a deep-seated dispute between the two prompted the incident. The incident apparently began inside the council's office and later spilled outside.According to an initial investigation, the senior official shot the axe-wielding resident with a personal firearm after feeling threatened.