Samir Dari
Photo: Tal Naveh
Herzl Shviro
Photo: Gil Yochanan
Issawiyeh riots
Photo: Reuters
Police: Cop shot Palestinian in the back
Border Guard police officer Shmuel Yehezkel indicted on suspicion of killing Samir Dari, resident of Issawiyeh village; indictment filed by Police Investigation Unit confirms residents' version
Police Investigation Unit (PIU) Head Herzl Shviro announced Monday the department had submitted an indictment against a Border Guard police officer on suspicions he killed Samir Dari, a resident of the village of Issawiyeh north of Jerusalem, who died
several weeks ago.
The decision to charge 21-year-old Shmuel Yehezkel was determined following a hearing on the case.
According to the indictment, the Yehezkel shot at Dari's back from a few meters' distance, a shot which resulted in his death.
Police initially claimed that Dari had been shot during a car pursuit after a stolen vehicle, during which fire was exchanged. However, according to eyewitnesses in the village, the shooting was completely uncalled for and carried out while Dari was standing with his back to the policemen.
An investigation by the PIU confirmed the villagers' version.
Autopsy confirmed suspicions
The indictment states that on November 9 the officer in question took part in an operation against car thieves in the village of Issawiyeh. Yehezkel and another cop were guarding Tawfik Dari, who was arrested during the operation.
After the arrest, Dari's brother Samir arrived at the scene in a van. One of the police officers, Daniel Marawi, told him not to come close and threatened him with a weapon.
Samir ran back to his car, and once he entered it, Shmuel Yehezkel fired his gun, missed his target and hit the rear of the car. He then ran toward the car and fired at Samir Dari's back.
An autopsy of Dari’s body found that the bullet entered through the Palestinian’s back and exited above his heart.
Following the incident, the PIU launched an investigation into the incident to determine whether the use of live fire was justified. Police officers who were at the scene were questioned and provided their versions of the incident.
Dari's uncle Abu Jamil told Ynet prior to Dari's funeral that " I arrived at the gas station a couple of minutes after the squabble over the burglary. We stood by the station and Dari was shot in the back. They took him to hospital, and we wanted to go and see what was happening and they told us he is dead. Then they checked the body."
