At least eight people were shot and injured in a shooting attack near Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem Sunday morning, police and emergency medical officials said.
Police described the incident as a terror attack. One woman, approximately 60 years old, was shot in the upper body and critically wounded in the attack, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service.
A police officer, approximately 30 years old, was also critically wounded in a shootout with the assailant, police said.
Both were taken to Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus, where doctors performed CPR on them, a hospital spokesperson said.
Three other victims were moderately wounded, while another three were lightly injured in the attack, according to MDA. The attacker was shot and killed. He was identified as a 39-year-old resident of Silwan, in East Jerusalem, police said.
He possessed an Israeli identification card, according to Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan.
“There were no prior warnings ahead of a focused attack like this,” Erdan said.
The attack began as the assailant drove by police headquarters on Haim Bar-Lev Street, a main artery also served by the city’s light rail, and opened fire at a group of people, hitting one woman, police said.
He sped off toward Charles Simon Clermont-Ganneau Street and shot a woman who was in her car, critically wounding her.
He continued toward the Arab neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Police officers on motorcycles from the city’s Special Patrol Unit saw the shooting and gave chase, police said. The Hamas terrorist organization praised the shooting, calling it “heroic”, “brave” and a “natural response to the occupation,” Army Radio reported.