Palestinian gunman kills two in Jerusalem

A Palestinian gunman who fired from a car has killed a pedestrian and a police officer in Jerusalem. Israeli police said that he was then shot dead by one of their officers in a chase through the streets.

Four others were also wounded by the gunman. Later the gunman’s body was removed from scene.

The attack began near Israel’s national police headquarters, police said.

“A terrorist opened fire and shot one woman and he continued in a vehicle in the streets of Jerusalem. He was chased by police special patrol units on a fast motorbike. Shots were then fired at our police officers on their motorbikes who responded and shot and killed the terrorist,” Micky Rosenfeld, an Israeli Police spokesman said.

Police identified the gunman as a 39-year-old from East Jerusalem who was due to start a four month jail sentence next week for assaulting a police officer.

Authorities had warned of violence as the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, the day of atonement, approaches.

In the past year, Palestinians, many acting alone and often with rudimentary weapons, have killed at least 35 Israelis and two Americans in attacks.

Over the same period, at least 220 Palestinians have died in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.