The two suspects, aged 19 and 26, were arrested soon after the ramming at an intersection near the Jaffa Gate to the Old City, but were released after the incident was determined to be an accident by the Israel Police's Traffic Department.
A Shin Bet investigation found that the two were suspected of conducting a ramming attack, and they were arrested again.
In March, two yeshiva students who were waiting to cross the street near the Jaffa Gate were run over by a vehicle driven by two people identified as being from minority groups.
According to an account by one of the injured students, the car backed up and tried to run them over a second time. When they didn’t succeed, the two suspected terrorists left the car, hit and kicked the injured students and escaped from the scene.
One of the students, Avraham Erand from the Old City, said that the terrorists beat them when they were on the ground after being hit by the car, and then entered the car and escaped. At the hospital the two students were treated for broken knees and went through surgery.
“We are talking about a ramming attack. It resulted in serious injuries including broken legs, but it could have easily ended with murder,” according to Chaim Bleicher, a lawyer from the Honenu organization who is representing Erand. “We, of course, demand a full investigation of the incident. We will follow this case, get to court and do everything possible to ensure that these terrorists are brought to justice.”
The Police Spokesperson’s Unit announced soon after the attack that was a criminal, not terrorist, incident.