Jerusalem – Two online fundraising campaigns have raised more than 2 million shekels, or over $500,000, for the wife and children of a man shot dead over a handicap parking space.
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Ofir Hasdai, 40, was shot and killed Sunday afternoon in Ramle after he tried to park in a handicap spot for his wife, Dikla, who has muscular dystrophy. Hasdai got into an argument with a 74-year-old driver after he asked the man to move his car over, since it was parked over two spots. The man then shot Hasdai in front of his wife and three daughters.
Two of the daughters also have disabilities, one with muscular dystrophy and one with cerebral palsy.
Hasdai was the family’s main breadwinner.
Both online funding campaigns far exceeded their original goals and have involved more than 11,000 donors.
I hope the shooter gets what he deserves not a slap on the wrist!
Relatives of Victor Katan, 74, lament the tragedy of Ofir Hasdai’s death, but insist the deceased was committing assault when he was shot
The family of the shooter in a parking dispute in central Israel has expressed regret over the death of Ofir Hasdai.
Hasdai, 40, was trying to park in a disabled spot at Ramle’s Azrieli mall on Sunday afternoon on behalf of his wife, who has muscular dystrophy. There, a fight broke out with Victor Katan, 74, over the parking space, and Hasdai was gunned down in the mall parking lot in front of his wife and three daughters.
“We express deep sorrow over what happened. We are sorry it ended this way,” the Katan family said in a statement on Wednesday. “There was no intention to kill him. It is a tragedy for us as well. He only wanted to stop the assault on his wife.”
Katan’s family has claimed that Hasdai attacked Katan’s wife during the fight, prompting the pensioner to open fire. According to Dikla Hasdai, however, her husband approached Katan in the parking lot to ask him to move his vehicle, which was parked over two handicapped spots. She said Katan’s wife began hitting Hasdai with her handbag. According to her account, Katan then took out a weapon and shot Hasdai in the foot and, moments later, in the chest.
“My heart is broken from the terrible outcome. I endured an assault by the deceased,” Katan’s wife told Channel 13 on Wednesday. “Victor fell apart when he saw me sprawled on the ground with a large man standing over me. If only the whole thing hadn’t happened.”
This incident occurred this past Sunday. It was reported on Monday, by various Israeli news media outlets. I reported this incident to VIN News on Monday by e-mail. It took VIN two more additional days to even report this incident
One would have thought only a short time ago, that this type of violent incident (Israeli civilian Jews, shooting and killing other Israeli civilian Jews) was something that just doesn’t happen in Israeli, outside of perhaps an armed robbery by criminals. We were told that civilian ownership of handguns in Israel, was even more tightly regulated than in the USA and other countries. However, upon further research, I discovered that the government of Israel has loosened its oversight of civilians possessing firearms, because of terrorism. However, that is a doubled edged sword. Now, instead of civilians fighting with words, or even coming to blows, they take the easy way out and shoot each other. I read that after the shooter shot the deceased in the leg, the deceased was on the ground, and even stated “Why did you shoot me”. The 74 year old shooter did not have to finish off the deceased, with an additional fatal shot. A shanda!!
One would have thought that this despicable incident took place in Brooklyn, and not in Israel. There was a similar incident about seven years ago, in Brooklyn. Aa 99 year old survivor of the Holocaust, lived near Maimonides Hospital, whose apartment was on the second floor, directly over the apartment ofr a Physician. One day, he looked out of his window, and saw a car blocking the driveway of the apartment, leading to the Physician. He came out, and very nicely stated “Mister, please don’t park here, as a Doctor lives here, and comes in and out constantly to see his patients”. The driver, who was an 83 year old Russian Jew, became very violent, and physically attacked the 99 year old Jew, breaking his nose, and causing other injuries. The Russian was arrested, and eventually convicted of felonious assault. Before his trial, it was reported that he threatened the 99 year old. To this date, I don’t know if that violent Russian ever served any jail time? Perhaps, some readers of this site, have further information? Incidentally, there is no doubt in my mind, that if that psycho Russian had a gun, he would have used it on the 99 year old.