Rabbi Reuven Biermacher fatally shot by mistaken police gunfire as they tried to neutralize the two terrorists in Shaar Yaffo

Rabbi Reuven Biermacher HY"D

Hadassah Hospital Spokesperson Hadar Elboim has just announced the critically wounded stabbing victim who arrived in the trauma unit from the Shar Yaffo attack has died of his massive injuries despite all life-saving efforts. 

Personal details of the victim are not cleared for release at this time.

This brings the death toll in the attack to two

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the attack happened

 outside the city’s Jaffa Gate, a popular spot for tourists 

visiting Jerusalem’s walled Old City. She said police shot 

both assailants who were later identified as Palestinians in 

their early 20s from the West Bank. One died at the scene 

and the second later, in hospital.

Three people were seriously wounded in the attack, one of whom later died from gunshot wounds, said hospital spokeswoman Shoham Ruvio. She identified the deceased as a 40-year-old Jerusalem resident, Rabbi Reuven Biermacher.

The other two victims remain in intensive care. They are listed in serious-to-critical condition.

Managing Director of Aish HaTorah Rabbi Steven Burg posted on his facebook page that “It is with great sorrow that I must inform you of the passing of Rav Reuven Biermacher HY"D, beloved Rebbe in the Aish HaTorah Spanish program”. “He spent the morning teaching Torah and was murdered on his way out of the Old City”.

The death of Rabbi Steven brings the death toll to 23, including at least one other person hit by friendly fire, in nearly three months of attacks in Israel and the West Bank.

Police were investigating a video which had surfaced on social media which appeared to show a man beating one of the shot assailants with a pole, Jerusalem police spokesman Asi Aharoni told Army Radio.