Family and friends mourn during the funeral of Vyacheslav Golev in Beit Shemesh, Israel, May 1, 2022. Photo: Reuters/Ronen Zvulun

An Israeli security guard who was gunned down in a terrorist attack was laid to rest on Sunday in Beit Shemesh, surrounded by hundreds of mourners who recalled his bravery and “big heart.”

Vyacheslav Golev, 23, was shot to death on Friday night while manning an entry checkpoint to Ariel in the West Bank. He physically shielded his fiancée, who was also on guard duty, from the assailants, saving her life. Two Palestinian suspects from the town of Qarawat Bani Hassan have since been arrested in connection with the killing.

Golev’s family immigrated to Israel from Russia and settled down in Beit Shemesh. A former student at Ariel University, he became engaged a few weeks ago to Victoria Fligelman. The pair recently moved to Ariel.

Hundreds of people attended Golev’s burial to pay their final respects, Israel’s Channel 13 reported.

“You stood like a stone wall before the murderous terrorists until you collapsed from the killing fire,” said Aliza Bloch, the mayor of Beit Shemesh, at the funeral. “You were like a solid rock, you protected your siblings and parents fiercely. In the names of all the residents of Beit Shemesh, I salute you.”

“We all loved you,” said Golev’s cousin, Valdimir. “You had such a big heart, such a good heart. We will speak about you to our children and grandchildren.”

Golev, who was raised in a Haredi family, left behind parents and seven siblings. His grieving mother collapsed on her way to the burial and was physically supported by his fiancée.

“He always defended everyone, whether his siblings, his friends, everyone he knows,” Golev’s childhood friend, Daniel Zilbershtein, told Channel 12.

Golev is the 15th person killed since March in a spate of terrorist attacks carried out by Palestinian and Arab Israeli perpetrators.