Briton stabbed to death on tram in Jerusalem
AYOUNG British tourist has been stabbed to death in Jerusalem. The woman, thought to be in her early twenties, was attacked while she travelled on a light rail train near the Old City, which was packed as Christians celebrated Good Friday and Jews marked Passover.
The woman was rushed to a medical centre but died soon after.
Israeli police say she was attacked by a Palestinian man who stabbed her repeatedly.
Two other people, including a 30-year-old woman, received minor injuries in the incident yesterday morning when the tram came to an emergency stop, it was reported.
The Times of Israel said paramedics from Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national ambulance service, tried to save the injured woman and carried out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on her before taking her to Jerusalem’s Haddash Hospital Mount Scopus.
MDA tweeted: “Stabbing attack in Jerusalem. MDA EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and paramedics treating a severly (sic) injured individual.
“EMTs and paramedics treating and performing CPR on a woman in her 20s. MDA teams evacuating 25-year-old woman in critical condition with stab wounds to her upper body part to hospital.
“MDA teams also treated 30 y/o pregnant woman and 50 y/o man who were injured during the incident.”
Zeevi Hanfling, an emergency technician, said: “Police officers led me into the train where a young girl was lying unconscious (with) stab wounds to her upper body part.”
Police detained a 57-year-old man at the scene, and a spokesman told the Times of Israel he appeared to suffer from “mental problems”.
Superintendent Micky Rosenfeld said the attack, which took place near Tzahal Square, was carried out by an “Arab terrorist”.
Tweeting a photo of an apparently blood-stained knife, he said: “Arab Terrorist arrested who carried out attack is from Rasel Amud”, adding that security in the area had been increased.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are in touch with local authorities following an incident in Jerusalem on April 14.”