'Israeli hero': Chen Amir, murdered in Tel Aviv terror shooting, laid to rest
Chen Amir, a security guard who was killed in a terrorist shooting on Saturday, was buried on Sunday evening in the cemetery at Kibbutz Reim.
“You are an Israeli hero, our king,” friends of Chen Amir shouted over his grave.
Amir, who was killed in a terror shooting in the popular pedestrian mall Nahalat Binyamin in Tel Aviv on Saturday afternoon, was buried on Sunday evening in the cemetery at Kibbutz Reim.
Amir was married and had three daughters.
Vered Assayag Amir, Chen’s widow, paid him a painful tribute.
“Chen is the most wonderful man in the world, an amazing husband, a wonderful person, and the father of three daughters,” she said, “a lovely son and an amazing brother, an amazing brother-in-law. He is a fighter... I hope we can get through this, me and the girls”.
Family and friends say goodbye
She said that even in previous attacks he always tried to be the first one there to save as many lives as possible.
“He was always the first to... help, he has a huge closet full of certificates of appreciation, the closet is too small to hold the certificates of appreciation. He was always ready to help and give of himself.”Chen decided to donate his organs, and his tissues will save the lives of about 50 patients.
“You didn’t have to think about it. As soon as you got to know Chen, you knew. Donating organs is the finale. His last touch.”
His sister, Adaya, stated that from the age of 18, Chen asked to donate his organs.
Hours before the attack, Chen visited his family in the kibbutz where he grew up.
“He insisted on coming and brought gifts with him,” said Adaya, his sister.
“He is an Israeli hero. He took the bullets... He always wanted to protect people.”
His father, Shabtai, said that Chen also saved a person in an attack at the entrance to the Dolphinarium club in Tel Aviv in 2001.
“He always knew how to get there first. He saved a lot of people, it was in his character,” Shabtai said. “He was kind-hearted. Always helping people, always helping me.”
Amir and his colleague were patrolling on motorcycles when they noticed a suspicious person in the popular mall packed with cafes and restaurants and approached him, police said.
The suspect initially refused to answer their calls, and as the pair got off their motorcycles, the man pulled out a handgun and opened fire toward the guards, shooting Amir in the head and critically injuring him.
The other guard responded swiftly and killed the terrorist, who was identified as 22-year-old Kamal Abu Ahmed from the town of Rumannah near Jenin.
Abu Ahmed was a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization and had been wanted by Israeli security forces for the past six months for terrorist activity in the Jenin refugee camp.
Early Sunday morning, Israeli security forces entered Rumannah to take measurements of Abu Ahmed’s home in preparation for its possible demolition. One Palestinian was arrested as the forces operated in the town, according to Palestinian reports.
Ariella Marsden contributed to this report.
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