Last update - 00:00 24/04/2007
Husband of Israeli diplomat shot; criminal motive suspected
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
The husband of a senior Israeli diplomat in Houston was shot and wounded by his neighbor Monday, in what the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said was not a politically-motivated incident.
The ministry said he was taken to a nearby hospital, and is in stable condition.
The incident occurred when Deputy Consul-General Belaynesh Zevadia was at the Houston consulate, and their daughter was at preschool.
According to an initial investigation, Zevadia's husband, Serkalem, opened the door after hearing knocking and was shot by the neighbor. The gunman later went downstairs and shot the building's superintendent, killing her. He then took his own life.
In the incident, the superintendent of the apartment building where the shooting took place was killed, and shortly thereafter the gunman committed suicide.
The gunman had received eviction notices from the building management in recent weeks. On Monday, the gunman had sent an email to all of his acquaintances saying that this would be the last day of his life.
Zevadia is the first Ethiopian graduate of the Foreign Ministry's cadet course.
The ministry reiterated that the shooting incident was criminal in nature, and had nothing to do with Zevadia's diplomatic service or her nationality.