Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., July 29, 2008 Tamuz 26, 5768 | | Israel Time: 08:56 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 00:27 29/07/2008 Innocent bystander killed in drive-by shooting in Bat Yam By Roni Singer-Heruti, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service Tags: Israel, Bat Yam, shooting A woman was shot and killed Monday when she was caught in the middle of an apparent assassination attempt at a beachside restaurant in Bat Yam. Margarita Lautin, 31, and a mother of two, succumbed to the gunshot wounds she sustained in her chest at Holon's Wolfson Hospital. The victim was dining with a group of friends and family when a motorcyclist opened fire at them. The woman and her relatives were seated next to a group of people known to have criminal records, one of whom was apparently the intended target of the shooting. Police arrested four people suspected of involvement in the shooting, including the attacker and one of his apparent targets, who was also slightly wounded during the shooting. Advertisement The incident occurred at around 6 P.M. Monday. Lautin sustained critical gunshot wounds to the chest and was evacuated to Wolfson Hospital after resuscitation efforts on the beach had failed. "Someone came along, shot her and destroyed a family...whoever did that should pay, just like my wife paid," Lautin's husband, Alexander, said. The investigation was handed over to detectives from the Police's International Crime Squad, which handles investigations into the criminal figures involved in the incident, who apparently belong to the Abergil family crime organization. The suspects were arrested by members of the International Crime Squad who were in the area at the time of the shooting but police spokesmen denied they were there staking out the suspects who then opened fire. The initial investigation indicates that several known crime figures were sitting on a lawn close to the beach at about 6 P.M. when a group of suspects approached them and opened fire. Witnesses recounted that the criminals began chasing their attackers, who then fled. The suspects continued shooting as they ran, hitting Lautin, an innocent bystander. In the ensuing chaos, the suspects got away. However, crime squad detectives combing Bat Yam found them shortly thereafter. The Lautins had come to Bat Yam's Tobago Beach with bathing suits, towels, flotation devices and shovels and pails for five-year-old Sapir and two-year-old Guy. At about 6 P.M., they asked a passerby to photograph them lying together in the sand. "Twenty minutes later, our family was destroyed," Alexander said in the hospital's lobby last night, gazing at the photos still in his camera. "Suddenly we heard gunshots and saw people running in every direction. It was pretty far away, we were at the end of the beach but people were running toward us. We didn't have time to run. My wife said 'I've been hit' and she fell down. I tried to help her but it was already too late," he said. "She fell right into my arms, next to the children who saw everything, including the failed attempts to resuscitate her." An eyewitness said that many shots had been fired. "I was in my hotel room playing guitar, and suddenly I heard shots. I went to the window and saw lots of people running from the beach," said Michael, a young Israeli staying in a nearby hotel. "The firing went on for several seconds," he said. An employee of a nearby banquet hall said, "It's crazy. It is scary to be here and to walk around with children. We heard a number of gunshots and then saw people fleeing in panic." Related articles: Three people killed, one person hurt in Ramle shooting spree Palestinian killed, Israeli hurt in drive-by shooting in W. Bank Police investigate drive-by shooting death of man in Taibeh Bookmark to del.icio.us   Internal fighting Human rights groups say torture is widespread in Palestinian lockups. Danger looms Pentagon chief Robert Gates warns: War with Iran would be 'disastrous.'   1.   That`s awful! 23:12  |  Israeli 28/07/08   2.   "Shooter" not a Terrorist 23:27  |  Bufon 28/07/08   3.   Hey Buffoon 23:43  |  MD 28/07/08   4.   MD 23:58  |  Bufon 28/07/08   5.   Buffoon 4 00:06  |  ChanahS 29/07/08   6.   Buffoon 00:21  |  Jonathan 29/07/08   7.   bufon 00:35  |  mark hammond 29/07/08   8.   bufon 01:00  |  MD 29/07/08   9.   Yo Bafoon 02:21  |  OZ 29/07/08   10.   My heartfelt condolences 02:48  |  hala 29/07/08   11.   It`s the English language... 05:09  |  Gabriel 29/07/08

Read & React Pentagon chief: War with Iran would be 'disastrous' Responses: 268 Israel agrees to move part of West Bank separation fence Responses: 182 Olmert: Living with 270,000 Arabs in Jerusalem means more terror Responses: 216 Syria envoy to U.S.: Israel has chance for peace with all Arabs Responses: 66 Rosner's Domain Lieberman seen as good veep choice (WTR) What American Jews believe (WTR) Barack Obama, the fashionable darling of the Israeli left The Lebanese are undercutting goodwill in Washington (WTR) More Headlines 06:39 Talks with Hamas over Shalit to resume Tuesday 08:06 Jerusalem officials: Syria taking talks with Israel seriously 06:40 Decision on East Jerusalem terrorist home demolitions imminent 06:42 In one West Bank village, new barrier route won't help 06:43 Jewish blogger tackles perceived shortcomings of Orthodox Judaism 06:45 New al-Qaida Web video urges Muslims to kill Saudi king 06:46 Mother pulls seven children, ages 2 to 10, from burning house in Safed 05:31 Olmert: I'll dissolve coalition before replacing Justice Min. Friedmann 04:05 Knesset to debate creation of witness-protection program 06:38 State inquiry commission to investigate Israel's water crisis 06:10 Innocent bystander killed in Bat Yam drive-by shooting Previous Editions Select Day 28 jul 27 jul 25 jul 24 jul 23 jul 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Yossi Avrahami Presents: New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved