David Bakal, father of 26-year-old Alon Bakal who was murdered in Friday’s shooting attack in Tel Aviv, told reporters on Friday his son “loved life” and “made everyone laugh”.
Alon, who was originally from the town of Karmiel in northern Israel, had just recently moved to Tel Aviv and was studying to become a lawyer. In the meantime he was managing the Simta Pub on Dizengoff Street, which was targeted in the attack.
“There was no other boy who was as happy as he was,” his father told reporters at the Ichilov Hospital on Friday, where Alon was taken in critical condition before succumbing to his wounds. “Everywhere he went, his light was shining and he always made everyone laugh.”
David said that while his older son ran to the pub to find his brother, he himself ran immediately to the hospital, where he learned the news of Alon’s death.
“I ran to the hospital and waited for an ambulance to arrive, and as soon as I saw [Alon] on the stretcher I fainted, because I realized that he was not alive,” he said, according to Channel 2 News. “I immediately understood he was dead.”
Police are continuing to search for the terrorist who carried out the shooting. The suspect is a 29-year-old Israeli Arab from Wadi Ara, who was identified after his father recognized his son from footage shown on television and phoned authorities.
In addition to Bakal, 30-year-old Shimon Ruimi of Ofakim was murdered in the shooting as well.
Seven people were wounded, including two in serious condition. They were hospitalized at the Ichilov Hospital and the Wolfson Hospital in Holon.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)
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