Kaufman (L) and Barkat
Photo: Israel Police
Ofek Kaufman, 31, of the Alon settlement in Mateh Binyamin, received a certificate of appreciation from Israel Police's Judea and Samaria District commander Moshe Barkat on Sunday after he neutralized a terrorist who tried to stab a man at a gas station near Mishor Adumim last Sunday.
Kaufman, a dog trainer by profession, was driving with his wife and five-month-old son when he noticed a Haredi man running toward his car, with someone else giving chase.
"I saw an ultra-Orthodox man running and someone chasing him with a screwdriver, and I immediately understood that this was a terror attack," he said. "I immediately got out of the car. My wife screamed at me not to leave. I grabbed my gun, cocked it, and ran about 150 meters chasing the terrorist."
Reaching a bend on the road, Kaufman feared he will lose sight of the terrorist and so fired a warning shot into the air. The terrorist kept running, but Kaufman managed to keep pace.
Passing the bend, Kaufman shouted at the terrorist to stop, but he did not. Instead, he quickly turned to run at Kaufman, who opened fire in response.
The attacker, a 31-year-old resident of Nablus, was rushed to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem's Mount Scopus in serious condition, and a day later died of his wounds.
"My wife, who remained in the car, moved to the driver's seat and locked herself in. She called the police and the dispatcher managed to calm her and the baby."
The incident ended without civilian casualties.
Brig.-Gen. Barkat commended Kaufman for his immediate response which he affirmed saved lives.
"You got out of your vehicle without delay, acted quickly and with discretion, neutralized the terrorist and thereby prevented innocent people from being harmed," Barkat thanked.