A university professor has been arrested in connection with the death of a Jewish man in California who died from injuries suffered while protesting a pro-Palestinian demonstration, authorities said.
Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji, 50, was arrested Thursday in Moorpark for the death of Paul Kessler, who was involved in a fight with pro-Palestinian protesters on Nov. 5, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office announced.
The Moorpark College professor will be booked into the Ventura County Pretrial Detention Center on charges of involuntary manslaughter, authorities said. A decision on charges can be expected later Thursday.
Bail for Alnaji has been set at $1 million.
Kessler, who was seen waving an Israeli flag moments before the incident, suffered a head injury in the altercation.
He was later seen lying on the sidewalk while two people, including a woman wearing a “Free Palestine” jacket, came to his aid, footage of the incident shows.
An autopsy determined his manner of death was a homicide and the cause of death was a blunt force injury to the head, according to the sheriff’s office.
Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji was arrested on Wednesday in Moorpark in connection with the death of Paul Kessler. RMG Paul Kessler died from injuries sustained while protesting a pro-Palestinian demonstration. via @buttonslives/Twitter
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and a rabbi who spoke to witnesses claimed that Kessler was hit with a megaphone just before he fell.
Last week, Sheriff Jim Fryoff said the suspect was cooperative at the scene and had even been part of the group that called 911 about Kessler’s injuries.
Alnaji will be booked into the Ventura County Pretrial Detention Center on charges of involuntary manslaughter. The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and a rabbi who spoke to witnesses claimed that Kessler was hit with a megaphone just before he fell. RMG Paul Kessler suffered a head injury at a demonstration on Monday.
Moshe Bryski, a rabbi at Chabad of Agoura Hills, told The Post on Tuesday that Kessler’s death was “a tragedy.”
“People are not expected to go to a rally and not come home,” he said.
Kessler’s wife was “in a state of total shock” when he called, the rabbi added.
“He was not a closet Zionist; he wore it like a badge of honor. He was a proud Jew and a proud supporter of Israel,” family friend Justin Cohen told The Post about the victim.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn