Violence against bus drivers in Jerusalem led to the arrest of two city residents, aged 18 and 19, suspected of attacking the same bus driver in two separate incidents in recent months. Detectives from the Lev Habira police station in the Jerusalem District located the suspects after intelligence work and arrested them while they were hiding in a housing unit in the city.
According to police, the two incidents occurred several weeks apart and involved the same driver. The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court granted the investigators’ request this morning and extended the suspects’ detention until March 13, 2026.
How did the first confrontation with the Jerusalem bus driver begin?
Police say the first incident took place in January after an argument between the driver and the suspects. The dispute began when the driver refused to let them get off at an unauthorized location.
The argument quickly escalated into violence. Feeling threatened, the driver sprayed pepper spray into the air in an attempt to push the suspects away. In response, the two smashed the bus mirrors and fled the scene.
How did the second attack on the driver happen in Jerusalem?
At the beginning of February, investigators say the suspects encountered the same bus driver again, this time near the Romema neighborhood in Jerusalem.
According to the investigation, they waited for him at a bus stop and ambushed him. When the driver arrived, they punched him, sprayed pepper spray at him and threw stones at the bus.
The attack shattered the bus windows while the driver was behind the wheel. Passengers were inside the bus at the time, including children, who fled the scene in panic.
How did police track down the suspects in Jerusalem?
Detectives from Lev Habira police station launched an investigation that included intelligence gathering and evidence collection. After some time, they managed to trace the suspects and locate their hiding place in a housing unit in the city.
Chief Inspector Moshe Nagoran, head of investigations and intelligence at Lev Habira station, said: “This was a determined manhunt for suspects who chose to use severe violence against a public servant performing his duty. Our message is clear: anyone who attacks bus drivers and tries to spread fear on the streets of Jerusalem will not find a hiding place. Even if time passes after the incident, our intelligence and operational capabilities will lead us to every hiding place to bring the offenders to justice.”
