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Once again United Hatzalah volunteer medics, paramedics and physicians converged on Route 1 in Jerusalem along the light rail tracks in response to a terror attack. Shortly after 12 noon a white minivan slammed into a small group of Border Guard personnel securing the Route 1 junction with Shimon Hatzaddik Street. United Hatzalah volunteers initially responded to what appeared to be a traffic accident unaware that it was a terror attack still in progress. The driver continued slamming into cars and pedestrians along Route 1, heading towards Zaks Street otherwise known as Zvill Junction. Ambucycle medics first on scene near Shimon Hatzaddik street alerted central dispatch that there were dealing with a dynamic incident and potential terror attack. United Hatzalah dispatch repeatedly urged all nearby first responders to proceed rapidly to the two scenes with extreme caution.

After the terrorist’s vehicle was immobilized from impact with another car, he apparently exited his vehicle with a yellow metal bar attempting to harm more people. He was shot and killed shortly thereafter his bloodied body lying across the tracks of the light rail. In the initial incident scene one border policeman was critically injured, 2 seriously wounded and numerous others lightly injured. In the second incident scene a 20 year old yeshiva student was mortally wounded and has apparently since succumbed to his injuries. A total of 2 mortally wounded, 4 seriously injured and 5 moderate to lightly injured individuals and numerous people suffering from shock were treated on the scene by United Hatzalah medics

Eli Beer, President of United Hatzalah who is also an EMT was one of the first on the second scene. He treated the yeshiva student, a moderately injured driver and others who had been lightly injured or in shock. Beer commented “This area has suffered some of the most severe terror attacks. I remember the horror of treating the massive amount of injured people from the number 2 bus bombing in 2003. Jerusalem will always be at the heart of the Jewish people and those that wish us harm will strike us here. Nonetheless, Jerusalem also brings together people of all walks of life who strive to make life in the holy city a better and more peaceful place. Some of the injured people were Arabs. One of the injured border guard soldiers was reported to be a Druze volunteer. One of the first responding United Hatzalah ambucycle medics was Haled Rashek, an Israel Arab citizen living in East Jerusalem. Rashek commented “I come to all emergency incidents in the city to treat people regardless of the circumstances or backgrounds of the sick or injured person.”

Photo Credit: Ichud Hatzalah Spokesman’s Office:

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