Israeli guards shoot unarmed Palestinian man at crossing

JERUSALEM – Israeli police said Monday that private security guards shot and wounded an unarmed Palestinian man at a checkpoint in the West Bank.

In a statement, police said the guards at the Qalandia crossing ordered the man to stop. But when he continued to approach them, they fired warning shots in the air and then shot at his legs.

Amateur video captured by a passerby and shown on Israel’s Channel 13 TV showed the man falling down after being shot, then hopping toward the security men and being shot again. Details on his identity were not immediately released.

Police later said the man was found to have been unarmed. He was taken to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center, where he was said to be in moderate to serious condition.

Qalandia is a main crossing point for Palestinians entering Jerusalem from the West Bank. Israel often uses private security companies as contractors at checkpoints.

Palestinians and human rights groups accuse Israeli security forces of often using excessive force against Palestinian suspects. Channel 13 said police were investigating the incident.