Police arrest one suspect following Negev shooting video
The Israel Police arrested on Sunday one suspect who was involved in a video of masked people shooting sporadically in the Negev.
In the video, which went viral late last week, various men with their faces covered are seen shooting with rifles toward the sky as they lean out of their moving vehicles.
The convoy was said to be part of a wedding in the Beduin village of Segev Shalom.
A police statement said the suspect who was arrested on Sunday was the wedding’s groom.
“Last week, police received reports of shots that were fired in around the area of Highway 40 near the Ohalim Junction in the South,” the statement reads.
“As part of the ongoing investigation, we know that shots were fired in connection with a wedding that took place the same evening in the area of Segev Shalom in the Negev region.
“Police operations are focusing both on intelligence and searching for the suspects. As of now, one man [the groom] has been brought in for questioning in connection with the incident.
“Operations continue in order to search for the suspects who were involved in the dangerous incident.”
The police said they would continue to seize weapons that are held illegally and could endanger the public.
The statement said the police seized thousands of weapons last year.
“2,225 suspects were arrested and 1,137 indictments were made against suspects involved in or dealing with dangerous weapons,” the statement said. “There was a 9.5% increase in the number of arrests made by police and an increase of 42% in the number of indictments made, compared to 2016.
“General police operations against crime and illegal activities of all sorts, including illegal weapons, drugs and dangerous driving, continues 24/7.”
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan called on the police to quickly and forcefully respond to the case. “The events that we saw on the southern roads are severe, and we should not remain silent,” he said.
“I expect that the police will act immediately to find and arrest the shooters who were filmed driving recklessly, and at the same time shooting wildly and endangering the lives of others,” Erdan added. “Combating illegal weapons is the top priority of the Public Security Ministry, and we should be constantly acting against these criminals.”