The killer, a former soldier in the "Golani" unit of the Israeli army, who returned days before his service as a reserve soldier, claimed during his interrogation that he "shot Omari in self-defense," claiming that "he was assaulted and shot after he felt his life was in danger." This was according to Israeli sources.

This morning, the Magistrate's Court in Nazareth extended the detention of Dennis Bukin, 32, from the agricultural village of Moshav Gan Nir, who killed Diyar al-Omari, for 7 days, pending investigation into the crime.