Tel Aviv killer’s father appeals for his arrest

THE father of the gunman who killed two people and injured seven others in a shooting in central Tel Aviv on Friday urged the police to find his son quickly, warning of more possible attacks.

“Just as he murdered two he can murder more,” the father of the unnamed gunman said, the Israeli Yediot

Ahronot daily reported. “I’m worried and I want to hear that he’s in the police’s hands”.

The father – who volunteers with the local police – explained that he drove to the police station as soon as he recognised his son’s face on the CCTV footage of the attack.

“We all condemn the event,” he said. “I don’t know from where this disaster came upon us. My son was in therapy. We didn’t have a feeling that he wanted to perpetrate any unusual act.”

The attacker has been identified as a 29-year-old member of Israel’s Arab minority from the Arara village in northern Israel.

Ten years ago, his cousin was killed by the Israeli border police during a search of his house, the Haaretz newspaper noted, and he had previously served a five-year prison sentence for attempting to snatch a gun from a soldier. His relatives describe him as suffering from mental problems.

Tel Aviv remained on high alert as a manhunt continued for the assassin, who is thought to be still armed.

Security forces combed through apartments, empty warehouses and other potential hiding places, believing the suspect to still be in the Tel Aviv area. Police also searched the area of Arara and the suspect’s home.

On the street outside the Simta bar where the attacks took place, Israelis paused to light candles in memory of the victims.