Axe-Wielding Synagogue Attacker Fought Off by Security Guard in Ukraine

A man wielding an axe entered a synagogue in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Tuesday, July 28, and attacked a security guard, who wrested the weapon from the assailant, according to local reports.

Security-camera footage captured the moment the security guard fought off the attacker and took the axe from him, prompting the suspect to flee. The security guard sustained a minor head injury during the attack, according to Jewish community leaders.

Donetsk Regional Police are now looking for the suspect, named as 28-year-old Caesar Julius-Galarirogailalirozr Ilyich, to charge him with attempted murder. He was last seen on Wednesday, walking between villages on the eastern edge of the city, police said.

Michael Tzach, the head of the United Jewish Community of Ukraine, lauded the “heroism” of the security guard, Richard Golomazov, in a message on Facebook. Credit: Mariupol Jewish Community via Storyful