Police say they still don’t know exactly what happened in the moments that led to the death of a 69-year-old Jewish man, who fell down and sustained a fatal head injury while attending a pro-Israel rally in southern California on Sunday.
News that Paul Kessler had succumbed to his injuries at the hospital ripped through social media on Monday—acting like kerosene in an already incredibly fraught and deeply polarized online environment due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and soaring hate crimes against both Jews and Muslims internationally. Unconfirmed accounts, including claims that he was bludgeoned to death by a pro-Palestine protester wielding a megaphone, quickly proliferated online.
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In a press conference Tuesday, Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said that Kessler fell down and hit his head on the pavement following an altercation with a 52-year-old pro-Palestine protester—described by law enforcement as a “suspect” in the investigation. But, Fryhoff said, the nature of that altercation is “not crystal clear.” Video of the aftermath of the fall shows Kessler lying on the ground being tended to by other protesters, including a woman wearing a Palestinian flag and a hijab.
At around 3:20 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, Fryhoff said that Ventura County Sheriff’s Department received multiple calls about a potential assault and an unconscious male bleeding on the street, and that the incident was related to a small pro-Palestine rally and pro-Israel counterprotest in Thousand Oaks, about 15 miles from LA.
Fryhoff said the suspect “willingly remained at the scene” and was interviewed by deputies. He told them that he had been involved in an altercation with Kessler, and that he had called 911 afterwards.
So far, the only witnesses who have come forward were involved on either side of the protest. “These witnesses have provided conflicting statements about the altercation and who the aggressor was,” said Fryhoff. “What exactly transpired prior to [Kessler] falling backward is not crystal clear right now.”
The Ventura County medical examiner Dr. Christopher Young also spoke at the press conference. He said that the autopsy identified “non-lethal injuries” to the left side of Kessler’s face, which “could be consistent with a blow.”
The more serious injuries on the back of the head and internally, including skull fractures, swelling to the brain and bruising, were “consistent with injuries sustained with a fall.”
Young added that the medical examiner’s office had stated that the manner of Kessler’s death was a “homicide” but noted that this has a different definition in the medical world. “It does not indicate that a crime has been committed,” Young said. “It suggests the actions of another person contributed to the death of the person.”
Fryhoff stressed that his office was “committed to investigating this matter to the fullest and finding out exactly what occurred.”
“We’re working tirelessly to gather all the facts and evidence related to this incident,” said Fryhoff. On Monday, after Kessler had succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, police detectives conducted a traffic stop for the suspect and detained him while they executed a search warrant at his home. He was released on Monday evening.
“If criminal wrongdoing is discovered, [we’ll] bring the person or persons responsible to justice,” said Fryhoff. He said that Kessler’s death is being investigated as a homicide, and that his office has not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime.
He and officers from the Thousand Oaks’ police department are continuing to seek witnesses and photo or video evidence.
“We understand that the war in Israel and Gaza has led to an increase in hateful and threatening rhetoric, and we want to assure the Muslim and Jewish communities that we stand with them both at this difficult time,” said Fryhoff, adding that they have increased patrols at mosques, Muslim community centers and Jewish houses of worship.
Fryhoff also urged the public to let law enforcement conduct their investigation before rushing to conclusions. “We also ask that you urge you to refrain from spreading rumors, or spreading misinformation on social media and other platforms, as that can not only hinder our investigation but can cause unnecessary panic in our community,” Fryhoff said.
