Police investigating attempt on life of Acre mayor

Acre municipality spokesperson says Lankry filed a complaint to police 2 weeks ago, after receiving a threat to his life.

By BEN HARTMAN
Acre mayor Shimon Lankry 370 (photo credit: Courtesy Jewish Agency)
Acre mayor Shimon Lankry 370
(photo credit: Courtesy Jewish Agency)
Police on Friday gave top investigative priority to an attempt on the life of Acre Mayor Shimon Lankry who was shot in the chest and moderately wounded in a drive-by shooting around 3 a.m.
Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch visited Lankry at Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya on Friday morning, and spoke of the severity with which police viewed the attempted murder.
“An attempt to hurt a mayor in the State of Israel is a severe act and we must deal with it as such,” he said.
Aharonovitch said that police have made the shooting their highest priority, adding that they “are witness to dozens of threats made by criminals against mayors and local leaders... Mayors are exposed to all kinds of problems and it is our job to protect them.”
Municipal spokesman Sharon Dahan said that “the entire city of Acre is in a state of shock and we are hoping that police get their hands on those responsible.”
The deputy mayor had taken over the mayor’s post for the time being, and despite the shock in Acre, the city was operating as usual, Dahan said.
He added that two weeks ago, Lankry filed a complaint with police after he was personally threatened.
On Friday morning, Lankry was sitting alone in his car outside the entrance to Kafr Yasif, northeast of Acre, when he was shot a single time in the chest from a passing car. Police said they had a clear ID on the car and were searching the district for the vehicle and the suspects.
The investigation is being carried out by the Coastal District branch of the YAMAR central investigative unit.
Lankry was able to call an ambulance to take him to the hospital in Nahariya, where his condition was listed as “moderately wounded,” but stable. He was conscious and his life was not in danger, the hospital said.
Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Friday morning that the “attempted hit on the mayor of Acre is a disturbing and severe incident. This incident joins a series of severe incidents recently in which violence was directed at the heads of local authorities, which call for examination and for lessons to be learned in order to fight this threat against public officials.”
Sa’ar also spoke to Aharonovitch, and the two men reportedly agreed to hold a hearing on the matter in cooperation with the Justice Ministry.
Last week, a group of Hadera youths was arrested for firebombing Mayor Haim Avitan’s car during a night of vandalism in February.