Michael Hassan, a Netanya resident in his 30s, was shot dead on Friday night by Israel Police as officers were at his home after receiving reports of a suspected domestic violence incident.
Israel Police accused Hassan of attempting to stab police officers who arrived at his Netanya home, running toward the officers with a handful of knives.
Police were responding to reports that Hassan attacked his mother and barricaded himself in the apartment, smashing windows in a manner that endangered passersby on the street, as per police.
Hassan, who was running at police officers, was initially tased before being shot down after he refused to back away from police forces. Israel Police accused Hassan of posing a serious and immediate threat to the officers’ lives.
Medical officials pronounced him dead at the scene.
מיכאל חסן נורה למוות בנתניה, משפחתו טוענת: “השוטרים ידעו שהוא לוקה בנפשו” | @uri_sela pic.twitter.com/8DMKhSQBZS
— וואלה! (@WallaNews) April 22, 2023
Hassan family’s attorney disputes police’s claims
Police’s version of events was disputed on Saturday by the Hassan family’s attorney, Rotem Cohen, who claimed that the mother was not attacked by her son.
“The mother is in a very difficult mental state,” the attorney told N12. “She watched the officers kill her son. She is devastated…[Michael] was known to police, he was arrested before – which raises questions on whether this incident could have been entirely avoided.”
Following the family’s comments, Israel Police released footage of the incident in Netanya. In the body cam footage taken by the officers, the suspect can be seen holding a knife as officers shout at him to drop the weapon. The video can be viewed in its entirety above.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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