Police in California announced on Tuesday that they had identified a suspect in the death of Paul Kessler, who died following an injury that occurred at a pro-Palestinian rally this month.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said that a suspect had been identified in the death of Kessler, noting that the individual was 50 years of age and a resident of Moorpark. Fryhoff also said that Kessler was a Jewish man who was at the rally supporting Israel while the suspect was at the rally “advocating for Palestine.”
The remarks by Fryhoff on Tuesday come shortly after Kessler died from his injuries sustained following an altercation at competing pro-Israel and pro-Palestine rallies.
“A 69-year-old man, identified as Paul Kessler, died as a result of injuries sustained during an altercation at a Pro-Israeli / Pro-Palestinian event, both of which were occurring simultaneously at the intersection of Westlake Blvd. and Thousand Oaks Blvd,” the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
“The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and has not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime.”
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The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office told Newsweek on Tuesday morning that the case involving Kessler’s death has not yet been submitted to their office by police.
“The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is actively gathering information and working through all aspects of the investigation. Criminal investigations of this nature often take substantial time to complete. Once detectives have finalized their work, they will submit the case to our office,” a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office told Newsweek.
“At that time, we will begin a thorough process of evaluating the facts and applicable law to determine whether criminal charges will be filed.”
While at the rallies, an altercation ensued between Kessler and another individual. When police arrived, they discovered the 69-year-old Jewish man “suffering from a head injury.” Police said that during the altercation, Kessler fell backward and injured his head. An autopsy confirmed that Kessler’s cause of death was “blunt force head injury,” and the manner was ruled as a homicide.
During the press conference on Tuesday, Fryhoff said that a search warrant was executed at the suspect’s home this week, but the individual has not yet been arrested.
Newsweek reached out to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office for more information via email.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated when more information becomes available.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.