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Update: Western Wall Guard Knew Man He Shot

Victim was homeless, had previous confrontations with the guard

by
Stephanie Butnick
June 24, 2013
Israeli medics carry carry the body of a Jewish visitor who was shot dead by a guard after apparently mistaking him for a Palestinian militant, on June 21, 2013.(AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP/Getty Images)
Israeli medics carry carry the body of a Jewish visitor who was shot dead by a guard after apparently mistaking him for a Palestinian militant, on June 21, 2013.(AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP/Getty Images)

The story of the Israeli man fatally shot Friday by a security guard at the Western Wall continues to develop. JTA reports that the guard, who is facing murder charges, had previously clashed with the victim, Doron Ben Slush, who was homeless and well-known by security at the Western Wall.

The guard, a Druze who had been on the job for a short time, reportedly had clashed previously with Doron Ben Shlush. He was arrested after the incident on Friday morning and ordered held for five days. His name is under a gag order.



A police investigation has determined that Ben Shlush yelled “Druze, you son of a bitch” at the security guard, according to the Times of Israel.

The Times of Israel reports that Ben Shlush was described as “mentally unstable but harmless,” and was living in a Chabad House near the Western Wall:

A witness at the scene who knew Ben Shlush expressed dismay regarding the shooting. ”I don’t understand why he was shot. Everybody knows him and his behavior. He often acted in a nervous manner. What has happened here is not normal,” said David Dahan.

Stephanie Butnick is chief strategy officer of Tablet Magazine, co-founder of Tablet Studios, and a host of the Unorthodox podcast.