An armed man opened fire in central Jerusalem early Tuesday morning, shooting to death an Arab man and wounding a Jewish man. The shooter was arrested following a police pursuit.

Police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said the motive for the pre-dawn attack is not clear.

The Arab who was killed was later identified as 33-year-old Amjad Abu Hader of the Shuafat neighborhood, located in northeastern Jerusalem.

The wounded man was evacuated to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in serious condition.

An initial investigation revealed that the shooter used a licensed pistol. He told the police that he also shot at a third person, who apparently escaped unharmed.

The man was arrested and taken to the police station, where he told investigators that he shot the first victim after the latter approached him while he was meditating at Tzahal Square and he was afraid that the man was going to attack him and therefore shot him.

He said that later another man asked him for a cigarette and, worrying that the man might attack him, shot him as well.