Multiple outlets have identified Loay Alnaji, a community college professor, as the man who allegedly hit Paul Kessler, a 69-year-old Jewish man, during a pro-Palestine demonstration in California, which led to Kessler's death.
Alnaji, who teaches computer science at Ventura County Community College, was first named by the Daily Mail, which spoke to a neighbor who saw police attend his property in Moorpark, a city near Thousand Oaks, on Sunday evening. A profile picture of Alnaji on the community college's website resembles a man seen being questioned by officers at the scene while Kessler was on the floor.
The New York Post later reported it had identified Alnaji based on footage from the scene, in which a man can be seen sitting on a kerbside speaking to a police officer while medics attend to Kessler a few feet away.
Ventura County Sheriff's Office said on Tuesday they had identified a suspect, aged 50, who lives in Moorpark, but have not released his name. A spokesperson told a news conference that officers had executed a search warrant on the suspect's home, but that he had not yet been arrested as he was cooperating with police as their investigation into the incident continues.
Officers are investigating Kessler's death as a potential homicide and said they have "not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime."
A spokesperson for Ventura County Sheriff's Office declined to comment on the identity of the suspect when approached by Newsweek, saying: "We do not want to compromise the integrity of the investigation by releasing incomplete or inaccurate information."
Newsweek also reached out to Alnaji through his work email address for comment on Thursday.
Video footage shows Kessler had counter-demonstrated a pro-Palestinian protest on the outskirts of Thousand Oaks on Sunday. Kessler was seen waving an Israeli flag and an altercation ensued, during which he was allegedly struck with a megaphone by a demonstrator.
Michael Barclay, a local rabbi, said on Monday that police had received conflicting witness reports, and urged the community not to jump to conclusions while investigations continue.
After Kessler fell to the floor, he hit his head on the sidewalk, police said. The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office said Kessler's death was a homicide caused by a blunt-force head injury.
Barclay said, after speaking to the chief of police, that Kessler had still been conscious when deputies arrived at the scene, and that an autopsy had shown he had received non-lethal injuries to the side of his face and an injury to the back of the head. Kessler later died in hospital on Monday.
Since Alnaji was named, hate watchdog StopAntisemitism posted screen recordings of posts on what it said was his Instagram account, including one in which a man questioned the condemnation of Hamas and compared the militant group to Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, among others.
Newsweek could not independently verify the authenticity of the account as it, along with any Facebook account owned by Alnaji, appears to have been removed.
"We understand that many people are concerned about this case and are eager for updates," the Ventura County Sheriff's Office spokesperson said. "We want to assure you that we are doing everything in our power to find answers and bring justice to those affected by this tragedy. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this difficult time."
Tensions are running high after around 1,500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, killing an estimated 1,400 people and taking around 240 people hostage in Gaza, according to figures cited by the Associated Press.
Subsequently, Israel has launched an intensive campaign of air strikes and a ground invasion of the Palestinian territory, with the stated aim of eliminating Hamas. To date, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says 10,500 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, according to the AP, sparking widespread demonstrations and calls for a ceasefire.
In some cases, expressions of support for Palestinians have spilled over into expressions of support for Hamas' actions and overt antisemitic threats.
Update 11/09/2023, 12:45 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from a spokesperson for Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
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