A well-known Israeli torts lawyer was shot and killed in his office in Rishon Lezion on Tuesday afternoon in what police characterize as a premeditated killing sparked by a financial dispute over an unpaid damages settlement.
Attorney Arbel Feldman, a man in his 50s, was shot dead in his office by an alleged disgruntled client who turned himself in to police hours later, according to authorities. The suspect, a 23-year-old resident of Ramla, is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday for a hearing on extending his detention.
A neighboring lawyer saw a "client familiar to him" enter the victim's office at about 1 p.m., and then heard yelling followed by "at least four gunshots," Police Central District Commander Superintendent Amir Cohen told reporters.
Feldman's law partner, who was present in the office building, discovered his colleague lying beneath his desk in a pool of blood and immediately alerted emergency services. The victim's law partner told investigators he initially heard only a brief conversation between the two men before realizing shots had been fired: "I heard them talking, not shouting, just a very short conversation. Then I heard small popping sounds. At first I didn't realize they were gunshots. After that I heard a volley of shots, and then I saw him walking quickly out of the office."
Magen David Adom paramedics who were called to the scene conducted medical examinations but were forced to pronounce Feldman dead at the scene. The victim leaves behind a wife and three children.
The Suspect's Confession
The suspect appeared before investigators with a clear motive: a longstanding debt. According to interrogation records, he claimed that Feldman owed him 15,000 shekels following a traffic accident settlement in which Feldman had represented him.
"For the past three years I've been pursuing him," the suspect told investigators, according to Hebrew media reports. "I did a car accident [before October 7], and they recommended him to me. They told me he was a top-tier lawyer. After a court ruling, I was supposed to receive 15,000 shekels. Three years I've been chasing after him."
The suspect confessed to arriving at the office with the weapon already in hand. "I arrived with the gun. We didn't talk much --- I shot him," he stated during questioning, according to interrogation summaries reviewed by JFeed. He declined to disclose where he obtained the firearm.
After the shooting, the suspect fled the office building on Rozhansky Street and traveled on foot from Rishon Lezion to Ashkelon, covering the distance "through the fields," according to his account. Following an extensive manhunt that lasted several hours, he surrendered at the Lachish police station in southern Israel.
Security Footage Evidence
Newly released security camera footage captured the suspect calmly entering the lobby of the office building before walking toward the lawyer's office moments before the fatal shooting. The suspect was identified on security cameras at the entrance to the office building and was also filmed fleeing the scene while carrying a handgun. Central District Police Commander Amir Cohen said the weapon believed to have been used in the killing had not yet been recovered.
Police Assessment
Police Central District Commander Superintendent Amir Cohen stressed that "this is not a nationalist incident," but rather "a business dispute, apparently the murderer was unhappy with the service he received" from the victim, a torts lawyer.
The suspect is known to police for property offenses and is a resident of central Israel. Investigators believe the dispute concerned the handling of a damages claim connected to a traffic accident.
Defense Strategy
The suspect's attorney, Oren Sasson, said he intends to ask the court to order a psychiatric evaluation for his client. This indication of a potential mental health defense suggests the legal strategy may center on the suspect's psychological state at the time of the shooting.
Investigation Status
Police are also examining whether the lawyer had previously received threats. Police said the suspect fled the scene with the weapon he used, and it is not yet clear whether the gun was legally owned.
The suspect is scheduled to appear before a judge Wednesday for a hearing on police request for a 15-day detention extension pending formal indictment.
