VIDEO. ‘He was a very proud Jew’: Tributes following death of pro-Israel protester in US

Emotions in the US following the death of a Jewish man who fell during a clash between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters near Los Angeles, California. The investigation was “a homicide,” Ventura County Sheriff Jim Freihoff explained, not ruling out a possible anti-Semitic motive and saying he had briefly arrested and then released a pro-Palestinian protester. However, “the suspect was not arrested. No arrests have been made in connection with this incident, he added.

Paul Kessler, a 69-year-old Jew, died of a head injury on Monday after attending a pro-Israel demonstration on Sunday at an intersection that was also hosting a pro-Palestinian rally in Thousand Oaks, northwest of Los Angeles. The sheriff said there was a confrontation between two groups that numbered between “75 and 100 people.” According to the first investigation, during this argument, Mr. Kessler fell backward and hit his head on the ground. When police arrived, “he was bleeding from his head and mouth.”

“What happened before Mr. Kessler fell backwards is unclear at this time,” the sheriff insisted. He said several witnesses at the scene gave “conflicting statements about the nature of the argument and the identity of the assailant.” Immediately after the demonstration, police questioned a suspected pro-Palestinian. The “cooperative” 50-year-old admitted to being involved in the altercation and called 911 on his own to Paul Kessler, the sheriff said.

According to the first autopsy results, Paul Kessler’s death was caused by trauma caused by his head hitting the ground. The man in his sixties also had a non-fatal wound to the left side of his face. “We urge you to remain calm, peaceful and patient,” the sheriff added, adding that he has increased patrols around mosques and synagogues.

Mr. Kessler’s death is “a major blow to our region at a time when tensions continue to rise around the world,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass responded Tuesday. “As details emerge and are confirmed, we strongly condemn the violence and anti-Semitism,” she added.