The autopsy of Solomon Tekka, the Ethiopian Israel that was killed by an Israeli police officer, reveals that he had drugs and alcohol in his system at the time. The attorney for the policeman insists his client was justified in using his weapon, explaining the victim was drunk and under the influence of drugs. He decries the treatment of his client, who was moved to a hiding place with his family as they have received many threats since the fatal shooting, which led to extremely violent nationwide rioting by the Ethiopian community.

The medical examiner reports that Tekka has “large amounts of alcohol and Hashish in his blood stream, News12 reported.

According to the off-duty policeman who fired his weapon, leading to the death of 19-year-old Solomon Tekka, a member of Israel’s Ethiopian community, he was in life threatening danger. The policeman explained that he was being attacked with rocks by the mob, and he fired a single shot at the ground, a warning shot, which ricocheted and a fragment of the bullet entered Solomon’s left chest, killing him.

The policeman, who was sent to house arrest, explained that he did not fire the warning shot into the air because there were too many people in the park, and he feared someone might be injured. The policeman was suspended and sent to house arrest. He was released from house arrest by a court this week.

Attorney Yair Nedshi, who represents the policeman, stated, “The findings that were published today regarding the level of drugs and alcohol in his blood stream support the claim that my client was compelled to act in self-defense as he was in life-threatening danger as he was attacked by the deceased and others.

“I hope that the accumulation of the findings in the investigation, as published in the media, will lead to the closing of the investigation against him and will allow him to return to work soon”.

Attorney for the Tekka family, Jack Chen, responded: “This is another scandal in the slander and defamation of a victim who was shot to death by a policeman. As if insulting the victim’s name would justify the terrible and criminal act. After the officer killed the late Solomon, slandering Solomon’s name again and again, simply kills the souls of his grieving parents and siblings”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)