California police are yet to make an arrest in the case of Paul Kessler, a Jewish man who died after a confrontation between two rival rallies in Thousand Oaks, northwest of Los Angeles.
California police briefly detained a pro-Palestinian protester over the death of the 69-year-old Jewish man, but no arrest has been made, officials said Tuesday.
Ventura County sheriff James Fryhoff confirmed that Kessler's death from a head injury is being investigated as a homicide.
A 50-year-old local man, who attended a pro-Palestinian rally, admitted to being involved in an altercation with Kessler. However, he has not been arrested as of now. Fryhoff stated, "No arrests have been made related to this incident."
The incident occurred during dueling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rallies, each involving around 100 participants. When police arrived at the scene, they found Kessler, 69, had fallen backward and fatally struck his head on the ground. He also had non-lethal injuries on his face, though it remains unclear if he had been struck.
Medical examiner Christopher Young mentioned, "What exactly transpired prior to Mr. Kessler falling backward isn't crystal clear right now." The suspect willingly remained at the scene and assisted in calling 911 for medical assistance.
Conflicting statements were provided by witnesses from both rallies regarding the altercation and who the aggressor was, according to Fryhoff. Kessler passed away in the hospital early Monday. The suspect was detained at a traffic stop later that day, and his home was searched. He was interviewed again.
This incident follows a month after Hamas launched an assault on Israel from the Gaza strip, resulting in casualties and hostages. Israel's retaliation has led to further casualties, drawing global attention.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed condolences, stating, "Kessler's death is a blow to our region at a time when tensions continue to rise worldwide." Sheriff Fryhoff announced increased patrols around local mosques and synagogues in response to the incident.
