Mob kills innocent man for Israel bus station attack

JERUSALEM, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- The suspected gunman who killed an Israel Defense Force soldier and injured at least 10 people at a bus station has been identified, though confusion during the attack led to an innocent man being killed.

Muhand al-Okabi, a 21-year-old Arab-Israeli citizen, was shot and killed after carrying out the knife and gun attack Sunday night at the central bus station in the town of Beersheba, Israeli police said. He had no criminal record.

The Israeli soldier killed in the attack was identified as 19-year-old Omri Levi, who was posthumously promoted to sergeant.

At least four Israeli law enforcement officers were injured in the attack.

An Eritrean in his 20s, identified as Abtum Zarhum, was shot by a security guard who mistook him as being involved in the attack.

Zarhum was then beaten by an angry mob and later died from his injuries. Israeli authorities have launched an investigation into Zarhum's death.

In the past month, at least eight Israelis have been killed in attacks, mostly stabbings, by Palestinians. In that time, at least 40 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. The spate of violence began over Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, in September.