Nunchuck Wielding Man Helps Foil Terror Attack
We salute you, you crazy hero you.
A bystander swinging a pair of nunchucks became a ball-busting hero amid a recent wave of violent attacks across Israel, possibly saving a soldier’s life in the process.
It was just after 8:30 Monday night when 22-year-old Palestinian Muhammad Shmasanah attempted to grab a soldier’s gun on Jerusalem’s 185 bus line. The soldier fought Shmasanah and other passengers came to his aid, as did apparent secret ninja Yair Ben-Shabat, who happened to be passing by.
Ynet News reports that, according Shabat’s account of of the incident, he dove into the fray to help others “fight the terrorist” before remembering he had an advantage. “I took nunchucks out and hit him where I had to for them to be able to pry loose the weapon he held,” Shabat said.
Police soon arrived. One officer dropped a sidearm while struggling with the attacker. Shmasanah grabbed it and was shot and killed by another officer.
Inevitably, an image Ben-Shabat holding up his nunchucks quickly exploded across Israeli social media.
גיבור הערב:יאיר בן שבת, נכנס לאוטובוס בו דקר המחבל את החייל בכניסה לעיר, היכה אותו עם נונצ'קו עד שחוסל ע"י השוטרים pic.twitter.com/HPRPeAbDkh
— רועי ינובסקי (@Roi_Yanovsky) October 12, 2015
Ben-Shabat said he had the martial arts weapon with him out of caution, given that twin terror attacks took the lives of three Israelis earlier that day.
We salute Yair Ben-Shabat’s bravery in the midst of uncertainty and fear — and hope to God we’re never on the receiving end of his heroic nunchuckery.
Photos by Roi Yanovsky/Twitter