A 27-year-old man in Miami Beach, United States, faces two counts of second-degree murder after shooting 17 times at an Israeli father and son on Sunday night. The individual, identified as Mordechai Brafman, confessed to confusing them with "Palestinians." Although he claimed to have killed both, neither of the victims, who were visiting from Israel, died in the attack.
Brafman's attorney, Dustin Tischler, stated that his client was experiencing a "severe mental health crisis" at the time of the shooting, which led to a fear for his life. It is believed that his ability to make appropriate decisions was significantly impaired. Tischler added that Brafman is seeking necessary treatment and cooperating with authorities.
The state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called for federal hate crime charges to be filed following the shooting, indicating that the suspect's statements to police suggest an "anti-Palestinian" motive. They requested that these statements be used to pursue the appropriate charges.
The attack in Miami Beach has reignited the debate over discrimination and attacks motivated by international conflicts. In October 2023, in Illinois, a Palestinian-American boy was stabbed 26 times and his mother was seriously injured in an act related to the war between Israel and Hamas. This was followed by an incident later that same year in Vermont, where three Palestinian-American college students were shot while speaking Arabic on the street.
The individual shot at the victims without any provocation, hitting both with his gunfire. One of the victims was injured in the left shoulder, while the other had a bullet graze his left forearm. Authorities continue to investigate the case, and charges against the attacker are expected to be filed.