The IDF reservist who shot dead Israeli civilian Yuval Doron Castleman, who killed terrorists in Jerusalem before pleading for his life, was arrested overnight on Monday, Israeli media reported.
Sgt. (res) Aviad Frija was interrogated overnight, alongside another soldier who was involved in the fatal shooting, according to Israeli media.
Though Frija consented to a polygraph test, the investigation so far has uncovered significant gaps between the testimony of the soldier and evidence found at the scene of the shooting.
Testimonies from lawyers in soldier’s murder
According to his lawyers, Col. (res.) Shlomi Tzfouri and Col. (res.) Ran Cohen Rockberger, who was the former chief military defense attorney, the footage published on social media was not reflective of the actual situation.
“The video clips from the scene of the attack that were published on social networks, and their camera angles, create a partial and erroneous impression does not reflect what is seen and heard from the direction of the fighter. The additional shooting by the fighter and other people in the arena toward the late Yuval must be examined according to all the circumstances and the picture of the situation that stood before the fighter’s eyes in real-time,” Israeli media quoted.
“From where the fighter was standing, from the sights he saw and the sounds he heard, the fighter was convinced with all his heart that he was firing at a terrorist who still posed a life-threatening danger to him and to everyone around him. He had no intention of making a ‘kill confession’ and so he did not act. Immediately after he saw that that person was and on the ground, he stopped shooting.
“After hearing the testimony of the fighter, we have no doubt that under these unusual extreme circumstances, the military attorney’s office will also reach the clear conclusion, that with all the heavy sorrow for the terrible result, this is a tragic mistake that does not justify taking criminal measures against the fighter.”
This is a developing story. Tal Spungin contributed to this report.