Omar Walid, 22, who was seriously wounded in the Beersheba bank shooting on Monday, was close friends with Edan Sabri, who was laid to rest on Tuesday. On Monday, the two went to that Bank Hapoalim branch to open a bank account for Sabri. When a crazed Itamar Alon opened fire at the two, Walid tried to protect his friend Sabri, who was killed in the gunfire. Walid was brought to the Soroka Medical Center in handcuffs because police suspected him of complicity in the shooting, which claimed the lives of three other victims aside from Sabri, before the gunman shot himself to death. "He was like family, the two were like brothers," said Ayman, while his brother Omar lay sedated and in critical, but stable condition. "He tried to help Edan. They were friends for five, six years. They met in the area and worked together in Beersheba and worked all kinds of jobs, like gardening. I heard there was an argument with the shooter at the bank. Apparently he spoke to Edan, and my brother interrupted and then what happened, happened. Omar got shot." Ayman said it was difficult at first to explain to his parent's the condition of their son. "I saw what happened online and then my friend called me and told me that my brother may be there because he saw his car by the bank. That's how I learned what happened. I am afraid my mom won't be able to stand it," Ayman said. Remo Vaknin -- who survived the story -- also visited the intensive care unit where Walid was hospitalized, identifying Walid as the man who laid on top of him, taking bullets to spare his life. "He saved my life. I had asked him not to move and to lie on top of me so that maybe both of us could live -- he really saved me," said Vaknin, who was also handcuffed following the incident on police suspicions of complicity. Beersheba Mayor Ruvik Danilovich came to pay his respects to the Walids, who belong to the Bedouin community. The Beersheba mayor said that it was a shame that "only in tragic circumstances like these do we talk about coexistence. Beersheba and the Negev are a symbol for that [coexistence]. We should remain strong and patient and refrain from defamation." Jamal Milfazer, a friend of Walid and Sabri's, explained that he spoke to the two by cellphone just as the shooting began. "I had just spoken with Omar on the telephone, and he told me that he had gone to the bank with Edan to organize something, and then the yelling started and the phone got disconnected." Because of the severity of the incident, police have decided that anyone who left the crime scene without being identified must be handcuffed and accompanied by a police officer until his or her complicity is refuted with certainty. Details emerging about Alon Details are emerging about the 40-year-old gunman Itamar Alon, whose r sum included stints in the Border Police force, the Beersheba public security system and as a security guard at an educational institution. Only a few months ago Alon finished a degree in engineering with honors at the Sami Shamoon College of Engineering in Beersheba. Pini Badash, the head of the Omer Regional Council, handed Alon his diploma. About two years ago, during a dispute between neighbors, Alon drew his weapon, which he had properly licensed. Following the incident, he was brought to court and his firearm was apprehended, but the court decided that the weapon could be returned to Alon. Alon claimed that he held the gun for protective purposes, because he was a former security guard who had participated in various operations that may have created enemies. Had Alon been psychologically evaluated prior to the return of his weapon, it is possible that the court would have changed its decision. The legal system may pursue more stringent psychological evaluations in cases similar to Alon's in the future, especially in light of Monday's tragedy. Deputy Director of Administration and Economy in the Beersheba municipality Amit Reingold was Alon's employer 11 years ago. He explained that Alon's contract was not renewed at the end of a trial period because other employees had consistently complained about him. "He did indeed receive a certificate of excellence for his role in a shootout with terrorists, when two terrorists were killed. This was certainly taken into account, but his faults outweighed his virtues. Actually, no one really knows what part he played in killing those two terrorists," Reingold explained. Reingold said that Alon was hired based on information and evaluations that the municipality had on Alon from the Education Ministry. "The man arrived here having been a combat officer in the IDF, and all that that entails," he said. "It indicated a regular guy. Beyond the inappropriate behavior that ended his work here, we didn't see any signals that would have foreshadowed what was to come." Meanwhile, Alon's mother Hannah Alon, said on Tuesday that she could not fathom what had influenced her son. "We know our son well and can talk about him freely," she said. "In this country, you know, they sully good, decent people. So go ahead and sully a dead man. He was decent, he was in the army and he was exemplary. I am proud of him. It's just a pity that he did this to those families. He ravaged my heart, what he did," Alon's mother said. Alon's mother said that she did not understand what could have influenced her son to go on a killing spree, but she also directed some her anger at the bank for closing her son's bank account, apparently because of a 6,000 shekel ($1,640) overdraft. "I don't know what influenced him. Only 6,000 shekels. His father gives him checks all the time and because of 6,000 shekels they close his account? He went to work, he tried, but they kept telling him, 'you have no experience.' If I knew he was lacking something, I would have given it to him in no time. Yesterday he went out like normal and I guess they closed his bank account, he got annoyed and he got riled up. He never leaves the gun behind when he goes out of the house."
Alon's mother said she sympathized with the victim's families. "My heart is broken for these innocent families that didn't do anything wrong. I just don't know what came over him that he could destroy these families. It is very, very painful for me," she said.
