A family feud in Tel Sheva erupted on Wednesday evening into a shooting battle the resulted in one dead and 8 injured. Pahri Abu Taha (23) was shot and killed while standing next to his mother (50), who was injured in the gun battle. Only two weeks ago, Abu Taha’s first son was born.

According to initial reports, a man walked into their house and shot them both after a spat of violence erupted between members of their extended family and the Abu Asa family who reside in the same locale.

Aside from the mother and son, another seven people were injured in the incident. Among them were two 14-year-old boys. Most of them were injured from gunfire, while some were injured by violence and one was run over by a vehicle. Three of the people were in serious condition while the other five were moderate to lightly injured. They were all taken to Soroka hospital for treatment. Police rushed to the scene in an effort to restore calm to the area.

MDA Paramedic Yehoshua Weinstein, who was on duty at the local clinic spoke about what he saw in Tel Sheva. While providing medical care for someone from the town a number of people suffering from gunshot wounds walked in. “We began treating the injured, and within just a few minutes there were evacuated by ambulances to the hospital.”

Tel Sheva’s Mayor Tuman Abu Rakiek said: “Unfortunately the violent confrontation began with children. A disagreement took place yesterday, and while one family was willing to compromise and make peace with the situation, the other family showed up with guns and was even willing to run people over with their vehicles. These neighbors are only separated by a simple road. The second family showed up with cars opened fire on people and began to run them over. This is an attack. All of the injured people are from the Abu Taha family.”

Taha said that the regional council is working with the police to provide an increased police presence in the more problematic areas that are subject to a lot of violence.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)