Latest news with #MordechaiBrafman
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Miami man arrested after shooting 2 men he mistakenly believed were Palestinian
A Florida man has been arrested and charged for shooting 17 times at two men who he mistakenly thought were Palestinian. The victims were actually tourists from Israel, according to police. Mordechai Brafman, 27, has been charged with two counts of second degree attempted murder, according to state records. The Miami State Attorney's Office Hate Crimes unit is reviewing the case to see if it meets that statutory requirements for a penalty enhancement. Florida does not have a hate crime offense, but charges can be enhanced which increases the seriousness of the penalty for a crime if a defendant is convicted, according to the attorney's office. Brafman is accused of stopping his truck in a parallel lane, directly in front of the victim's vehicle before exiting his vehicle on Saturday. As the victims drove past him, Brafman allegedly shot at the vehicle 17 times, "unprovoked," striking both victims, according to an arrest affidavit. While in custody, Brafman allegedly said that he saw two Palestinians while driving his truck and he shot and killed both, according to a police report. MORE: Federal officials sound alarm on anti-Muslim, anti-Arab hate crimes One victim sustained a gunshot wound to the left shoulder while the second victim sustained a graze wound to the left forearm, according to the affidavit. The victims and the defendant do not know each other, according to the affidavit. Brafman is being held in jail without bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on March 10. Miami man arrested after shooting 2 men he mistakenly believed were Palestinian originally appeared on
MTV Lebanon
19-02-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Florida hate crimes unit probes shooting of two Israelis thought to be Palestinian
Local prosecutors in Florida said on Tuesday their hate crimes unit was probing a shooting by a male suspect who, according to police, fired on two men he thought were Palestinians but turned out to be Israeli visitors. The Miami-Dade state attorney's office said its hate crimes unit "reviews every criminal offense that has the potential of being motivated by hate." Rights advocates note a rise in anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian and antisemitic hate since the start of U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza following an October 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian Hamas militants. The website of Miami-Dade County Corrections says the suspect, 27-year-old Mordechai Brafman, was charged earlier with two counts of attempted murder and booked on Sunday for the shooting on Saturday. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava thanked prosecutors on X for "pursuing hate crimes charges." Brafman, when interviewed by police, said that while he was driving his truck in Miami Beach, he saw two people he thought were Palestinians. He said that he then stopped, shot at and killed them, according to police. However, the victims survived. One was shot in the shoulder and the other had a wounded forearm. They turned out to be Israelis and not Palestinians, police said. Dustin Tischler, a lawyer for Brafman, told the Washington Post they were "fully cooperating with law enforcement" and "acknowledge the seriousness of the allegations." He added Brafman had been "experiencing a severe mental health crisis which caused him to be in fear for his life." Other U.S. incidents include the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian American girl in Texas, the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy in Illinois, the stabbing of a Palestinian American man in Texas, the beating of a Muslim man in New York, a violent mob attack on pro-Palestinian protesters in California and the shooting of three Palestinian American students in Vermont. Incidents raising alarm over antisemitism include threats of violence against Jews at Cornell University that led to a conviction and sentencing, an unsuccessful plot to attack a New York Jewish center and physical assaults against a Jewish man in Michigan, a rabbi in Maryland and two Jewish students in Chicago.
Asharq Al-Awsat
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Florida Hate Crimes Unit Probes Shooting of Two Israelis Thought to Be Palestinian
Local prosecutors in Florida said on Tuesday their hate crimes unit was probing a shooting by a male suspect who, according to police, fired on two men he thought were Palestinians but turned out to be Israeli visitors. The Miami-Dade state attorney's office said its hate crimes unit "reviews every criminal offense that has the potential of being motivated by hate." Rights advocates note a rise in anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian and antisemitic hate since the start of US ally Israel's war in Gaza following an October 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian Hamas movement. The website of Miami-Dade County Corrections says the suspect, 27-year-old Mordechai Brafman, was charged earlier with two counts of attempted murder and booked on Sunday for the shooting on Saturday. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava thanked prosecutors on X for "pursuing hate crimes charges." Brafman, when interviewed by police, said that while he was driving his truck in Miami Beach, he saw two people he thought were Palestinians. He said that he then stopped, shot at and killed them, according to police. However, the victims survived. One was shot in the shoulder and the other had a wounded forearm. They turned out to be Israelis and not Palestinians, police said. Dustin Tischler, a lawyer for Brafman, told the Washington Post they were "fully cooperating with law enforcement" and "acknowledge the seriousness of the allegations." He added Brafman had been "experiencing a severe mental health crisis which caused him to be in fear for his life." Other US incidents include the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian American girl in Texas, the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy in Illinois, the stabbing of a Palestinian American man in Texas, the beating of a Muslim man in New York, a violent mob attack on pro-Palestinian protesters in California and the shooting of three Palestinian American students in Vermont. Incidents raising alarm over antisemitism include threats of violence against Jews at Cornell University that led to a conviction and sentencing, an unsuccessful plot to attack a New York Jewish center and physical assaults against a Jewish man in Michigan, a rabbi in Maryland and two Jewish students in Chicago.
Arab News
18-02-2025
- Arab News
Florida man charged with attempted murder after shooting two men he thought were 'Palestinians'
TALLAHASSEE, Florida: A Florida man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after opening fire on two men in Miami Beach who he thought were Palestinians. According to an arrest report, Mordechai Brafman shot at the men 17 times in the 'unprovoked' attack, telling officers that while driving his truck, he 'saw two Palestinians' and opened fire on their car, thinking he had killed the pair. But the men survived, one suffering a shot to the shoulder and the other grazed by a bullet. Brafman, 27, is being held without bond on second-degree murder charges at a county jail in Miami, records show. He's also been ordered to stay away from the victims, an Israeli father and son who were vacationing in South Florida, according to the Miami Herald. Brafman's attorney Dustin Tischler has said his client was experiencing a 'severe mental health crisis' at the time of the shooting, which caused him to 'fear for his life.' 'It is believed that his ability to make sound judgments was significantly compromised,' Tischler said in a statement to The Associated Press, adding that Brafman is seeking 'necessary treatment' while cooperating with law enforcement. The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, has called for federal hate crime charges against Brafman, saying his alleged bias against Palestinians should warrant the charges regardless of the victims' ethnicity. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
The National
18-02-2025
- The National
Florida man accused of shooting two Israelis he thought were Palestinians
A Florida man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after opening fire on two men he thought were Palestinians in Miami Beach. According to an arrest report, Mordechai Brafman shot at the men 17 times in the 'unprovoked' attack, telling officers that while driving his lorry, he 'saw two Palestinians' and opened fire on their car, thinking he had killed them. But the men survived, one suffering a shot to the shoulder and the other grazed by a bullet. Mr Brafman, 27, is being held without bond on second-degree murder charges at a county jail in Miami, records show. He has also been ordered to stay away from the victims, an Israeli father and son who were vacationing in South Florida, according to the Miami Herald. Mr Brafman's lawyer, Dustin Tischler, has said his client was experiencing a 'severe mental health crisis' at the time of the shooting, which caused him to 'fear for his life". 'It is believed that his ability to make sound judgments was significantly compromised,' Mr Tischler said in a statement, adding that Mr Brafman is seeking 'necessary treatment' while co-operating with law enforcement.
