Florida prosecutors investigate shooting of Israeli visitors mistaken for Palestinians
Mordechai Brafman is expected to be arraigned on two felony counts of attempted murder after he allegedly shot and injured two men he thought were “Palestinian,” according to Miami Beach police. (Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation via CNN Newsource)
Local prosecutors in Florida have launched a hate crime investigation into a weekend shooting in Miami Beach, where a suspect allegedly targeted two men he believed were Palestinians, only to discover they were Israeli visitors.
The Miami-Dade state attorney’s office confirmed its hate crimes unit is reviewing the case, emphasizing its commitment to scrutinizing offenses potentially driven by bias.
According to police, 27-year-old Mordechai Brafman, who has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, admitted to stopping his truck and opening fire on the victims.
One man suffered a shoulder wound, while the other was shot in the forearm. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava expressed gratitude to prosecutors for “pursuing hate crimes charges.”
Brafman’s attorney, Dustin Tischler, told the Washington Post that his client had been undergoing a “severe mental health crisis,” which allegedly led him to fear for his life.
The shooting is part of a broader surge in hate crimes in the U.S. since Israel’s war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023.
Other incidents include attacks on Palestinian Americans, such as the stabbing of a 6-year-old in Illinois and the shooting of three students in Vermont.
Meanwhile, rising antisemitism has resulted in threats against Jewish communities, violent assaults, and foiled terror plots.
As tensions escalate, rights advocates continue to warn against the alarming rise in targeted violence across the country.
