Paul Kessler, 69, died on November 6 after a physical altercation at a protest in Los Angeles. Kessler was on a street corner on the day before, voicing his support for Israel, when someone allegedly smashed his head open with a megaphone. There’s a video of Kessler bleeding out on the sidewalk. There isn’t a clip of the reported attack.
When Kessler died the next day from internal injuries, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office announced this was a homicide investigation, and it didn’t take them long to identify a suspect: Loay Alnaji.
BREAKING
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) November 16, 2023
The Ventura County Sheriff has arrested a 50-year-old man named Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji in the death of Paul Kessler, the elderly Jewish man who died from his injuries, allegedly inflicted by Alnaji, the day after he attended a protest.
Alnaji has been charged with…
And for those who didn't see it yesterday, it's my belief that the man in the photo is Loay Alnaji, a Moorpark College professor who at one point was the faculty advisor for the campus Muslim Student Association. His son was one of the officers in 2019. https://t.co/6bp1kWLffZ
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) November 8, 2023
"The pro-Palestinian college professor Loay Alnaji was booked at the Ventura County Pretrial Detention Facility for involuntary manslaughter and his bail was set at $1,000,000, according to the sheriff’s office.
— Josh Kraushaar (@JoshKraushaar) November 16, 2023
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles said in a statement on…
Mr. Alnaji was interviewed by police and arrested today for involuntary manslaughter. He’s being held on $1,000,000 bond (via Ventura County Sheriff’s Office):
Investigation leads to arrest of suspect in connection with the death of Paul Kessler.
On November 16, 2023, detectives from the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau contacted Loay Alnaji in the City of Moorpark and arrested him for the death of Paul Kessler. Alnaji will be booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility for California Penal Code section 192(b) – involuntary manslaughter and his bail will be set at $1,000,000.
Though an arrest has been made, we continue to encourage community members who may have information about this criminal investigation and have yet to come forward to please contact Detective Stump at (805) 384-4745.
Any persons who were driving a vehicle equipped with video recording equipment, such as Teslas, in the area of Westlake Boulevard and Thousand Oaks Boulevard between 3:00 p.m. and 4 p.m. on November 5th, are encouraged to reach out to detectives or utilize the link provided below to download and submit video footage.
More from NBC News:
A suspect has been arrested in connection with the death of Paul Kessler, a Jewish protester who fell after a confrontation at dueling rallies in California for Israel and Palestinians.
Loay Alnaji, 50, was taken into custody Thursday morning and will be booked on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of Kessler, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said.
Kessler, 69, was at a pro-Israel gathering on Nov. 5 in Thousand Oaks, California, when he got into a “physical altercation” with a pro-Palestinian protester, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said. He fell backward and hit his head on the ground during the altercation, and died the following day.
Alnaji, of Moorpark, will be booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility and bail will be set at $1 million, the sheriff's office said.
Officials said that, though an arrest was made, anyone with information on the incident should still come forward and share video if possible.
What are the odds that this guy will walk away?
According to multiple witnesses, Prof. Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji struck Paul Kessler in the head with a megaphone, knocking him down and causing his death
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) November 16, 2023
...and is how CNN frames it: pic.twitter.com/qyiVFEgDVo
Did police arrest the sidewalk, @cnn? pic.twitter.com/VZcdxryKJy
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 16, 2023