A routine vehicle checkpoint in southern Tel Aviv escalated rapidly on Monday evening into a dangerous criminal pursuit involving live gunfire.
The incident began when police officers deployed to the area set up a proactive checkpoint aimed at boosting local security.
During the operation, officers signaled a vehicle carrying three passengers to pull over for identification. Instead of complying with instructions, the driver chose to act violently: he slammed on the gas, accelerated directly toward one of the officers standing in his path, and began fleeing the scene in a wild, reckless manner, posing an immediate danger to both the officers and nearby pedestrians.
The officer directly in the path of the speeding car realized he was facing an immediate and clear threat to his life. In a split-second effort to avoid being crushed and to halt the fleeing vehicle, the officer leaped onto the front hood of the car. While the vehicle was in motion, he drew his service weapon and opened targeted fire at the occupants.
Despite the gunfire, the suspect vehicle managed to break through the police perimeter and escape. Officers in large numbers were immediately dispatched to the area and launched extensive searches. Minutes later, emergency dispatchers received a report of a man with gunshot wounds lying on the ground just a few streets away from the scene.
A preliminary field assessment by officers revealed that the wounded individual is an illegal alien who sustained moderate injuries. Shortly thereafter, officers located the getaway vehicle abandoned on a side street. The remaining suspects were missing from the vehicle, and a manhunt is currently underway to apprehend them.
Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir responded to the incident, stating: "I fully back the officers who opened fire on the suspect who tried to run them over. Police officers are not targets. Anyone who chooses to ram through a police checkpoint and attempt to run over officers cannot expect them to stand idly by."
Ben Gvir emphasized that the officers' actions align perfectly with his direct operational guidelines. "My policy is clear: any officer who identifies a life-threatening danger and acts to protect themselves and their colleagues will receive my full backing. This is how officers are expected to act, and that is exactly how they acted in this case. Anyone who threatens the lives of police officers puts their own life at risk."