Man charged with opening fire on 2 men he claimed were Palestinians
Brafman "spontaneously stated" that he "saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both," according to police.
A man was arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder after he shot at two men who he told detectives were “two Palestinians" in Miami Beach, Florida, according to officials.
Mordechai Brafman, 27, was arrested Saturday night after he got out of the car and shot at the victims 17 times, according to a press release the Miami Beach Police Department emailed Paste BN.
Surveillance video captured Brafman's truck U-turning before it stopped in front of the victim's vehicle, which was also stopped on the road, police stated.
Police say the suspect left his car but remained on the driver's side. As the victims drove past him, he shot at them "17 times, unprovoked, striking both victims," according to the arrest documents obtained by Paste BN.
The suspect then drove to a residence a few minutes away from the scene of the crime, according to police.
Brafman was charged with two counts of second-degree attempted murder, according to the Miami Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation's website.
What was the motive behind the attack?
Police did not state what the motive behind the attack was and, at Brafman's attorney's request, he was not interviewed on the matter, according to the arrest record.
“It should be noted that while in custody in our interview room, the defendant spontaneously stated that while he was driving his truck, he saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both," the arrest report stated. "The victims and the defendant do not know each other.”
Who were the victims?
The victims' identities have not been released, reported WSVN.
However, one of the victims was shot in the left shoulder, and the other victim's left arm was grazed by a bullet, according to police.
This story was updated with new information.
Julia is a trending reporter for Paste BN. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com