A 27-year-old Jewish plumber is accused of firing 17 times from a semiautomatic handgun at two vacationing Israeli tourists, whom he mistook for Palestinians, in Miami Beach at about 9:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Mordechai Brafman told Miami Beach Police Department officers “spontaneously” in custody that “while he was driving his truck, he saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both,” per the incident report, which the police department shared with JNS. “The victims and the defendant do not know each other.”
Contrary to what Brafman told the police, both victims survived, with one shot in the left shoulder and the other’s left forearm grazed, per the report.
The defendant, who was captured on surveillance cameras, shot the victims “unprovoked,” striking both victims, per the police report. Brafman was arrested on two counts of attempted second degree murder.
“Boom, boom, boom, boom. I got hit in the shoulder. One of the bullets missed my father’s head,” Ari Rabi told CBS News through his cousin, who translated his comments into English. (The victim’s name is spelled “Rabey” in other stories.)
“Some guy thought we were Palestinians and he just started shooting,” Rabi told CBS. “Seventeen bullets, only one hit.”
“The last thing I want to say is thank God for life,” Rabi added to CBS. “A life shouldn’t just be taken away from anyone. It doesn’t matter who you are, what religion you are or where you’re from. People should just live in peace.”
Dustin Tischler, an attorney for the defendant, told the Miami Herald that Brafman “was experiencing a severe mental health emergency” when he began shooting.
“It is believed that his ability to make sound judgments was significantly compromised. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement officials and acknowledge the seriousness of the allegations,” Tischler told the paper. “We are also committed to working with healthcare professionals to ensure Mr. Brafman receives the appropriate and necessary treatment. Finally, we are deeply relieved that the victims are safe.”
“All forms of violence must be unequivocally condemned, and perpetrators of hate crimes should be held accountable,” stated Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, consul general of Israel in Miami. (JNS sought comment from the consulate.)
“I extend my gratitude to law enforcement officers for their dedication to safeguarding our communities,” the Israeli diplomat added. “I am confident they will conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind this terrible incident and ensure justice is served.”
The Anti-Defamation League Florida office stated that it is “horrified to learn about this incident, in which an individual allegedly opened fire on two people in Miami Beach because he thought they were Palestinian.”
“Violence targeting people because of their perceived identity is never acceptable,” the ADL said. It urged the Miami Beach Police Department to investigate whether the incident was a hate crime.
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