Tragedy in Rishon: 14-Year-Old Uri Portal Killed by Friend in Gun Accident

On Sunday, 14-year-old Uri Portal died of his injuries at Wolfson Hospital in Holon, hours after being shot by his close friend near the Alef Complex in Rishon LeZion. Uri will be laid to rest at 11:30am today in the Holon cemetery.

This is what investigators have pieced together so far: The boy whose father owns the gun brought the weapon to school on Sunday morning. He went with two friends for a "weapons test" in the sands of Rishon LeZion after school. They managed to fire a few rounds until a bullet was accidentally discharged by the 13-year-old, striking the 14-year-old in the chest. All three attend the same school, with the two younger boys in the same class.

After the shooting, Uri was found unconscious next to his friends in an open area near the Alef Complex and was evacuated to Wolfson Hospital in critical condition while resuscitation efforts were underway.

Initially, the boys told police that a passing car had shot at them, but shortly afterward, they revealed the truth: one of them had taken his father’s gun without his knowledge.

The shooter is suspected of negligent homicide, while the son of the gun’s owner is suspected of causing death by negligence.

Eliko, Uri’s father, said at the family’s home in Rishon LeZion: "A child is gone for nothing. How does a kid bring a gun to school for a whole week?" His mother, Maayan, was on her way abroad when the tragedy occurred and returned to Israel last night.

Natalie, Uri's aunt, said: "An angel of a boy, a good boy, this is a heavy loss. Uri was very smiley and gifted; everyone loved him. A year and a half ago, he celebrated his bar mitzvah with so much love around him. This is a terrible disaster; we’re waiting to hear the truth." The Portal couple has four other children. Uri was even filmed an hour before the shooting, ordering pizza with his friends at school.

According to the Rishon LeZion station commander, "This is a legally licensed firearm that belongs to the father in a legal manner." The gun was secured in a safe, but the son knew the code.

On Monday, the Rishon LeZion Magistrate’s Court extended the detention of the two arrested boys. The 13-year-old’s detention was extended until today, while the 16-year-old’s detention was extended until Thursday.