A 27-year-old man is facing two charges of attempted murder after firing 17 shots at a vehicle carrying a father and his son, both Israeli tourists.
According to the authorities, the attacker confessed that he opened fire because he believed the victims were "Palestinians."
Both victims survived the shooting, although one of the men was shot in the left shoulder, while the other was injured in the left forearm.
The shooting occurred on Sunday night in one of the busiest areas of Miami Beach.
According to the police report cited by local media, the individual - identified as Mordechai Brafman - made a U-turn with his truck, stopped next to the victims' vehicle, and, without any provocation, began to open fire.
The security cameras in the area captured the moment when the attacker opened fire 17 times on the car in which the father and son were located.
After the shooting, the victims managed to escape and sought refuge in a nearby building, where they asked for help.
Confession of the assailant and possible charges
Brafman was arrested minutes after the attack. During his detention in the police interrogation room, he made a spontaneous statement in which he confessed to having fired because he believed the victims were Palestinians.
"While driving my truck, I saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both of them," he stated, according to the police report.
Despite the fact that the victims survived, the severity of the attack has led the Prosecutor's Office to file charges of second-degree attempted murder.
Additionally, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has demanded that he also be charged with federal hate crime charges, arguing that the motivation behind the attack was clearly anti-Palestinian.
In response to the shooting in Miami Beach, Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, the communications director of CAIR-Florida, stated: "It is the actions allegedly motivated by the prejudices of the suspected shooter, not the actual ethnicity of the victims, that should be the determining factor for the charges in this troubling case."
Increase in hate crimes in the United States
The attack has been condemned in various sectors of American society and has reignited the debate about the rise of hate crimes in the country, particularly in the context of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In October 2023, a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy was fatally stabbed in Illinois, while his mother was severely injured in an attack related to the war in Gaza.
Similarly, at the end of that year, three Palestinian-American university students were shot in Vermont while speaking Arabic and wearing kufiyas.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Shooting of Israeli Tourists in Miami Beach
What happened during the shooting of Israeli tourists in Miami Beach?
A 27-year-old man fired 17 shots at a vehicle carrying a father and his son, both Israeli tourists, in Miami Beach. The attacker, Mordechai Brafman, confessed to shooting because he believed the victims were Palestinians. Both victims survived the attack, although they suffered injuries to their shoulder and forearm.
What charges is the aggressor Mordechai Brafman facing?
Mordechai Brafman faces two charges of second-degree attempted murder. Additionally, the American-Islamic Relations Council (CAIR) has requested that he be indicted on federal hate crime charges, as they believe the attack was driven by an anti-Palestinian motivation.
How has American society reacted to this attack?
The attack has been widely condemned in the United States and has reignited the debate over the rise of hate crimes in the country. This incident is contextualized in a tense environment due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has seen an increase in acts of violence and discrimination in the United States.
What measures are being taken in response to the rise of hate crimes in the United States?
Various organizations and community leaders are demanding stronger actions to combat hate crimes. In this context, additional charges for hate crimes have been requested in cases like that of Mordechai Brafman, in order to ensure that motives based on prejudice are properly penalized.
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