A young man dressed as an IDF soldier attempted to steal a female soldier's gun at a bus stop near Ashkelon on Sunday night.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Security forces were dispatched to the scene, while an IDF officer, Binyamin Regional Brigade commander Col. Eliav Elbaz, who happened to be there, opened fire and neutralized the suspect.
The IDF confirmed the incident, saying in a statement: "An IDF officer foiled an attempt to steal an IDF weapon near the city of Ashkelon. The suspect was neutralized."
Following a preliminary investigation, police said the incident was not terror-related and that the suspect was an Israeli Jewish man suffering from mental illness who had recently escaped from a mental health treatment center.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
