Eilat Shooting: US Jewish Tourist Opens Fire at Popular Israel Hotel, Shot Dead by Police [VIDEO]

A U.S Jewish tourist was shot dead by police after opening fire at a popular Red Sea hotel resort in Eilat, Isreael on Friday. 23-year-old William Hershkovitz from New York allegedly shot the chef at the Leonardo Club Hotel in Eilat during a dispute. Anti-terrorist police arrived at the scene and barricaded the gunman in the kitchen - when Herschkovitz opened fire on the police, they responded with gunfire and killed him in the process.

33-year-old Armando Abed, an employee of the resort, was named the victim. Witnesses say Hershkovitz stole a firearm from a security guard, and shot a number of rounds at Abed. An Israeli guest at the hotel Aviram Sela attempted to tackle the gunman to the ground while other onlookers tried to find safe cover in the hotel's lobby.

Hershkovitz was a Jewish worker taking part in the Oranim program (an organization partly-sponsored by the Israeli government). Head of the Oranim program Ofer Gutman, told reporters: "[Hershkovitz] was a normal guy. There was nothing that indicated what would happen in the end. It's terrible what happened."

Hershkovitz arrived in Israel over the summer and promptly began partcipating in the Oranim program - dedicating his time to Hebrew study, working at the Eilat hotel, and taking a university course on hotel management. On Tuesday, it was decided by the hotel and program to terminate Hershkovitz's work at the hotel (details on why have yet to be released).

The Leonardo Club Hotel was full to capacity during the time of the shootings, mostly with foreign tourists and Israelis, because of the seven-day Jewish religious holiday Sokkot.

Although some reports claim Abed had a dispute with Herschkovitz before the shooting, police have yet to verify such claims.