Hero police officer haunted by Oct. 7 commits suicide

After saving his town from Hamas gunmen, Sgt. Igor Pibenev succumbed to the trauma he carried home.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News Staff

A policeman renowned for his bravery during the October 7th massacre, died by suicide after suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, his widow announced on Wednesday.

Sgt. Igor Pibenev, a police officer who killed 13 Hamas gunmen who invaded Israel during the terror onslaught, was buried in the Ashkelon Military Cemetery on Wednesday evening.

The 32-year-old left behind a wife, Hani Liderman-Pibenev, and three daughters, Amelia, Evelyn and Aria.

On October 7th, Pibenev – a resident of community of Yated, adjacent to Gaza – left his shift at the Hebron Police Station and drove towards his home, vowing to protect his family from the invasion.

While en route to Yated, Pibenev encountered numerous terrorists, whom he shot and killed.

After finally making it back to his hometown, Pibenev, who was long nicknamed “Rambo” by his friends, joined up with the local security squad and repelled invading gunmen.

Israeli media lauded Pibenev for his bravery, but the police officer was uncomfortable with the praise.

“I’m not a hero,” Pibenev said during an October 2023 interview on the Hebrew-language TV news program. “I did what any policeman would do.”

During interviews, he mentioned that he had seen the bodies of slain Israeli soldiers and civilians on the road.

In February, Pibenev’s wife wrote a Facebook post encouraging support for the “silent victims of October 7.” She encouraged the loved ones of first responders and survivors to stay vigilant and ensure that those who witnessed the horrors of that day receive support.

“If there are people around you who have been deteriorating since that Shabbat, turn the world upside down to make sure they get professional help and proper treatment. Don’t try to save them by yourselves,” she wrote.

Recently, Pibenev told his close friends that he was struggling to cope with the trauma of the massacres.

“I can’t do it anymore. It’s very difficult for me to function. I’m not the same person I was before the war,” a friend, interviewed by Hebrew-language outlet Mako, recounted Pibenev as saying. “I’m not the same Igor.”