Law enforcement officials in the state of California are investigating a homicide as a potential hate crime after a pro-Israel protester suffered a fatal “blunt force head injury.”
The incident happened at a Sunday event in Thousand Oaks where there were competing pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rallies.
At some point there was an altercation between 69-year-old Paul Kessler and another individual believed to be with the pro-Palestinian protesters that caused Kessler to fall and hit his head on the pavement.
“The nature of the altercation remains under investigation but some reports indicate that before he fell, Kessler was struck in the head with a megaphone by an individual with the pro-Palestinian event,” ABC 7 reported. He succumbed to his injuries in the hospital on Monday.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that it was “investigating the incident and has not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime.”
The statement said that the sheriff’s office had received “multiple” calls around 3:20 p.m. “to report a battery had occurred at the intersection of Westlake Boulevard and Thousand Oaks Boulevard” at the rally.
“Upon arrival, responding deputies located Kessler, who was suffering from a head injury,” the statement said. “Witness accounts indicated that Kessler was involved in a physical altercation with counter-protestor(s). During the altercation, Kessler fell backwards and struck his head on the ground. Kessler was transported to an area hospital for advanced medical treatment. On November 6, 2023, Kessler succumbed to his injuries.”
“An autopsy was performed on November 6th and the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be blunt force head injury and the manner of death homicide,” the statement concluded, adding that the investigation was “active and ongoing.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP
One of the pro-Palestinian protesters, who was not the person suspected of attacking Kessler, put a piece of cardboard under Kessler’s head as he laid on the ground bleeding. However, she was reportedly later seen smiling and laughing.
An anti-Israel protester appears to show concern for Paul Kessler by placing a sign she was carrying (which says she’s a pediatrician) under his bleeding head. However, minutes later, she can be seen and heard smiling and laughing in a video taken by a source at the scene. pic.twitter.com/y0fjYOsBMD
— Christina Buttons (@buttonslives) November 7, 2023