Police added in Triangle region amid anarchy concerns

Move follows two "related" drive-by shootings and death of mother of two in crossfire in Arab area east of Netanya.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Police car in Tel Aviv at night 311 (photo credit: Yoni Cohen)
Police car in Tel Aviv at night 311
(photo credit: Yoni Cohen)
Police boosted their presence in the Arab triangle region east of Netanya over the weekend amid concerns of a breakdown in law in order, after two men were shot dead in drive-by shootings that are believed to be related on Thursday night, and a mother of two was killed in crossfire during gunbattle between rival gunmen.
Police said on Saturday that an urgent investigation had been launched by the central unit of the police's central district into the Tira shootings, adding that eight suspects were under arrest.
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Central police head Cmdr. Bensi Sao held a special evaluation meeting with local police chiefs and ordered police to increase the number of officers in the Triangle region "in order to return the area to normalcy," police said.
Police are expected to launch raids of suspects in the coming days and to make more arrests.
On Thursday night, a 30-year-old man was found critically injured by a paramedic crew called out to Tira. Police said he was shot in a drive-by attack from a passing vehicle.
He died at the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba despite attempts to resuscitate him.
Soon afterward, in what police believe was a swift and lethal retaliation, a 35-year-old man was shot in the head and killed in a second drive-by attack.
The double homicide came hours after a 28-year-old mother of two was shot dead after being caught in crossfire during a gunbattle in Kalansawa. Police have launched a homicide investigation.
In April, the director-general of the Kalansawa municipality, Waim Zamiro, was shot dead. No suspects have yet been arrested in connection with the murder.
Meanwhile, in Petah Tikva, two men were injured when an explosive device planted in their car went off on Friday night.
The men, aged 21 and 46, are believed to be the targets of an attack linked to a criminal feud.
Police said no further information was available about the incident at this time.
Magen David Adom paramedics and a police bomb squad arrive on the scene, and the injured were evacuated to hospital.
The 46-year-old is said to have been badly injured in the explosion.