Israel Police to investigate Be'er Sheva lynch mob
Police say they will try to identify and locate crowd who beat and fatally wounded Eritrean mistaken for terrorist, examining cell phone and security footage.
Police announced on Monday that they would work to identify and locate civilians who fatally wounded an Eritrean who was mistaken for a terrorist during the Sunday evening terror attack at the Be'er Sheva central bus terminal.
Investigators plan to examine videos taken by witnesses and captured on security cameras.
Police noted that they were searching specifically for people who assaulted the Eritrean man after he was incapacitated by a gunshot wound and clearly no longer posed a threat.
The security officer who suspected the victim was a terrorist and shot him will not, said police, be investigated.
It is unclear what charges these individuals might face and whether they would end up being indicted.
After the man was shot by a security officer and lay incapacitated, people beat him, threw benches and chairs at him, kicking him, spat on him and cursed at him. Police officers on the scene, as well as some civilians, tried to keep attackers at bay at bay.
Paramedics trying to evacuate the Eritrean to the hospital ran into objection from the crowds at the scene, who blocked their way and called out "Death to Arabs," "Arabs out!" and "Am Israel Hai" ("The people of Israel still live"). He was taken in serious condition to Soroka Medical Center, where he died of his wounds early Monday morning.
"People took out their rage on the wounded Eritrean and abused him," said a witness. "We thought he was one of the terrorists. He was shot in the legs and the real terrorist ran outside."
