The Northern District Attorney's Office has filed a severe indictment at the Nof HaGalil District Court against Shlomi Chaim, a 39-year-old resident of Afula, for his involvement in a violent assault. According to the prosecution's statement, as reported by Walla, the incident occurred on August 25 at approximately 04:30 AM. According to the facts of the indictment, the defendant decided to attack the victim, a 66-year-old man, and inflict severe injuries upon him.
The defendant arrived at a bus stop near the victim's home equipped with incapacitating spray and a sharp object, wearing a hat and a mask. As the victim left his home on his way to Shacharit and Selichot prayers, the defendant attacked him with the spray and subsequently stabbed him in the shoulder and chest. According to the indictment, the victim attempted to escape into his vehicle, but the defendant entered the car and continued to stab him repeatedly in the limbs, chest, and face.
To survive, the victim feigned death, prompting the assailant to flee the scene. After fleeing, the defendant entered a nearby shelter, changed his clothes, and discarded the evidence in a trash bin in an attempt to obstruct legal proceedings. He was seen leaving the area in Haredi attire. The victim was evacuated to HaEmek Medical Center in serious condition, suffering from deep lacerations, a broken thumb, and an exposed tendon, requiring a prolonged hospitalization.
Police investigators succeeded in locating and arresting Chaim approximately two days after the incident. It should be noted that the indictment does not specify a motive for the act. However, a suspicion arose during the investigation that the attack was related to the victim's involvement in a previous criminal case against a rabbi convicted of sex offenses, a claim the suspect has adamantly denied. It is important to emphasize that this is an indictment filed in court, and all facts attributed to the defendant are allegations that have yet to be proven in court, and he is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.