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Jerusalem District Police Chief Aharon Franco. (Uriah Tadmor / Jini) Last update - 20:05 19/03/2008 J'lem police chief: Cop on duty should've stopped yeshiva attacker By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Mercaz Harav, Aharon Franco  Jerusalem District Police Chief Aharon Franco said on Wednesday that the patrol officer called to the scene of the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva attack earlier this month should have tried to make direct contact with the terrorist, rather than waiting at the entrance to the school while the shooting continued. Franco presented his assessment on the matter during a meeting with the Knesset Interior Committee. According to an investigation of the attack, in which eight yeshiva students were killed, some 16 minutes elapsed from the moment the terrorist fired his first gunshot until he was subdued by fire from an Israel Defense Forces officer, David Shapira and yeshiva student Yitzhak Dadon. Advertisement The first patrol officer to reach the site of the attack did not enter the yeshiva and did not open fire at the gunman. According to the investigation, at least one additional moment elapsed between the officer's arrival on the scene and Shapira's entry into the yeshiva. During the Knesset committee discussion, Franco said that he had still not decided what steps would be taken against the patrol officer, but said "every policeman, in uniform or out of uniform, that arrives at an crime scene like this and knows people are being murdered, must respond." "The patrol officer who arrived first was obligated to make contact and stop the shooting," Franco added. According to the police investigation, the attacker was in the midst of becoming a more devout Muslim. Despite the fact that he had no criminal record, police discovered that he had stolen cars and weapons in Hebron in the past. "We had no concrete intelligence regarding the attacker's plans," Franko said. The police said that on the day of the attack the assailant went to work as usual and drove children to Mevasseret Zion and Jerusalem. He finished working at 6 p.m. and then headed to the yeshiva. Franco described the exact timeline of the attack: 8:30 p.m. - The attacker enters the yeshiva and opens fire. 8:36 - Students in the yeshiva call for police and ambulances. 8:40 - The first police car arrives at the scene, does not enter. 8:42 - Shapira enters the yeshiva. 8:43 - Two detectives arrive at the scene. 8:45 - Dadon and Shapira exchange fire with the attacker. 8:46 - Attacker is killed. Police officers already expressed criticism of the patrol officer's behavior at a meeting just after the attack. "Franco said the officer explained that he preferred to 'freeze the situation,' in police lingo, to prevent civilians from entering," one officer said during the March 11 meeting. "But the officer's approach was simply wrong and unprofessional. If civilians are being shot inside the yeshiva, an officer can't stand outside and not go in. It is unacceptable for a police officer to behave in that manner during a terror attack," he said. Related articles: 8 die in terror attack on J'lem yeshiva Dichter: E. J'lem Arabs involved in militant activity should be expelled Terror in Jerusalem / No intelligence ahead of attack Bookmark to del.icio.us   Free interpretation Yesha rabbinical council ruled it is forbidden for Jews to employ Arabs. Little Africa Tel Aviv is setting up a tent city to improve the living conditions of African refugees.   1.   You`re kidding, and entire momemt passed 11:30  |  Lev Bronstein 19/03/08   2.   Police chief cannot blame officer 11:54  |  K 19/03/08   3.   What is a moment? 12:06  |  Louie 19/03/08   4.   police 12:19  |  RS 19/03/08   5.   Cowardice in the face of terrorism! 13:02  |  Mel (M) 19/03/08   6.   RS what you say is absurd 13:02  |  Jos8ua 19/03/08   7.   K`s right 13:03  |  sh 19/03/08   8.   Sensitive cops... 13:08  |  Esther 19/03/08   9.   Cop on duty should have stopped yeshiva attacker 13:20  |  Michael 19/03/08   10.   The police officer 13:21  |  Paul Wood 19/03/08   11.   He was on a cofee break 13:45  |  Liev 19/03/08   12.   The eldest of the students, the 26 year old 14:16  |  MaryRose 19/03/08   13.   #11 Paul Wood - You write out of ignorance 14:18  |  Yonatan 19/03/08   14.   to "Paul Wood" 14:27  |  RayF 19/03/08   15.   RS 14:49  |  Purple Canary 19/03/08   16.   holes and knots in Wood`s head 15:19  |  sptz 19/03/08   17.   thanks MaryRose 15:41  |  pal 19/03/08   18.   The REAL PROBLEM - Security 15:54  |  The Archives 19/03/08   19.   Police Officer should be fired!!! 16:07  |  elie 19/03/08   20.   the cop was in shock! get a helicopter! 16:21  |  squatter in shock 19/03/08   21.   Paul Wood-showing your ignorance 16:33  |  Sam 19/03/08   22.   National malaise from the top down to the bottom... 17:17  |  bat yam 19/03/08   23.   PAUL WOOD 17:29  |  Avi 19/03/08   24.   Land for Peace leads to police cowardice 18:12  |  abba 19/03/08   25.   the police are not trained for this 19:31  |  david 19/03/08   26.   Unprofessional 19:42  |  Sam 19/03/08   27.   Police are the enemy 19:48  |  Alon 19/03/08   28.   Paul Wood 19:53  |  sh 19/03/08   29.   Oh. So,,,,,,It`s This Guy`s Fault 22:15  |  MIKE 19/03/08   30.   Why only 1 officer? 22:29  |  Am Yisrael 19/03/08   31.   So once again it`s the shin-gimmel... 23:14  |  Esther 19/03/08   32.   Re RS #4 23:20  |  Esther 19/03/08   33.   POLICE CHIEF SHOULD BLAME COLLABORATOR OLMERT,NOT A POOR COP 23:41  |  RETAKE GAZA))))))))) 19/03/08   34.   What hypocrisy, and Olmert should`ve stopped kassam rockets 00:44  |  Nat 20/03/08   35.   YES it is his fault! 02:19  |  Elchonon 20/03/08   36.   BRONSTEIN Moments did Moslems need to murder 100`s of Children 03:34  |  PETER SM 20/03/08   37.   Children should be off limits 05:20  |  Denise 20/03/08   38.   WOOD you realy SURE that Mercaz boys do not serve in the IDF? 05:29  |  PETER SM 20/03/08

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