Shots were fired outside Hadarim Prison on Route 4 in the Sharon district from a passing vehicle, which quickly fled the scene. According to the Sharon district police spokesman’s report, the gunfire is related to spillover from crime families in connection with pressure exerted in an ongoing investigation by the Israel Prison Authority.

The gunfire rang out during the predawn hours on Wednesday, at about 4:00AM on 13 Kislev. A prison patrol vehicle detected the gunfire. B’chasdei Hashem there were no injuries. The road in the area of the prison was shut down by police for 40 minutes from Ra’anana Junction to Bnei Dror Junction in both directions. Police found “many” shells from an automatic weapon on the scene.

Police report the shots were intended to send a message to the prison authority in connection to an ongoing investigation into a crime family hit in the Hatikvah neighborhood of Tel Aviv two weeks ago, in which two people were killed. The investigation into the shooting of the two involves of one of the crime families and placing “significant pressure” on the head of that family, who is currently imprisoned in Hadarim Prison.

Prison service officials stated, “this represents crossing a red line by crime families which have lost control”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)