A Palestinian gunman reportedly fired multiple shots at a bus in Jerusalem, injuring at least eight people, including a pregnant NYC woman and a Brooklyn dad amid rising tensions between the two nations.
The male victim allegedly tried to shield his family from the suspect on Sunday and got shot in the neck, said Sen. Chuck Schumer during an unrelated press conference in New York City. The man, identified as Shia Hersch Glick from Williamsburg, was a known cancer survivor.
Jerusalem Mass Shooting
Authorities noted that the man was in critical condition following the brutal attack and was left on a respirator but is expected to survive. The son of the victim suffered less severe injuries when he was shot in the right arm, primarily thanks to his father's protection.
On the other hand, the unidentified 35-year-old mother-to-be underwent an emergency C-section after she was shot in the abdomen, said Dr. Alon Schwartz of Shaarei Tzedek Medical Center.
Schwartz noted that the female victim's baby was intubated in the neo-natal intensive-care unit and was ventilated, adding that it was in serious condition as well. A fifth American, 22-year-old Menachem Palace, who is also from Brooklyn, was among the total eight people injured in the attack, as per the New York Post.
The group of victims was on a bus that was traveling to a religious site known as David's Tomb at the time of the attack. Palace noted that he looked to his right, next to the window that he was sitting next to, and immediately saw that it was completely smashed. He added that he then ducked down and saw blood on his shoulder.
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Officials identified two Israeli brothers, 19-year-old Elazar and 16-year-old Dovi, who were among the victims. The two reunited at the hospital several hours after the attack. This was with their older brother Yair saying that his siblings were together that night waiting for the bus.
According to CNN, the police released a statement saying that a "terrorist armed with weapons shot at a bus and vehicles in a parking lot near the Old City of Jerusalem." The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem later said that it was "shocked and saddened" by the brutal incident.
Rising Tensions
Authorities confirmed that U.S. citizens were among the victims and they were gathering more information about the attack. In a statement, an embassy spokesperson said that they "strongly condemn" any and all acts of terrorism and actions that exacerbate tensions between nations.
The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, also condemned the attack on Sunday, saying in a Twitter post that he was praying for a quick recovery for all of the innocent victims. The official added that he has spoken with the families and will keep them in his prayers.
Officials later identified the gunman as being a resident of occupied East Jerusalem who later fled the scene but turned himself in after some time. Israeli police added that the individual had a criminal record but no known affiliations with Palestinian military groups, BBC reported.
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