Suspect allegedly fires 17 rounds at victims’ vehicle, later telling police he believed they were Palestinian

Miami, Florida, US – A man who allegedly fired 17 rounds at a vehicle in Miami Beach on Saturday night told police he did so because he believed the occupants were Palestinian, according to arrest documents cited by US based local media agencies.

Mordechai Brafman, 27, has been arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder following the shooting, which took place around 9:30 p.m. local time (02:30 GMT Sunday).

Surveillance footage reportedly shows Brafman making a U-turn at 48th Street before stopping in front of the victims’ vehicle and opening fire with a semi-automatic handgun.

In a police interview, Brafman allegedly stated that while driving his truck, he “saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both,” according to the arrest form. However, both victims survived, with one sustaining a gunshot wound to the shoulder and the other suffering a graze wound to the forearm.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the shooting is being treated as a hate crime. However, the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida) has called for federal hate crime charges, citing the suspect’s reported motive.

“It is the alleged shooter’s reportedly bias-motivated actions, not the actual ethnicity of the victims, that should be the determining factor for charges in this disturbing case,” said CAIR-Florida Communications Director Wilfredo Amr Ruiz.

Brafman is currently being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Centre in Miami-Dade County, according to the Miami Herald.

While authorities have not disclosed whether the victims are of Palestinian origin, reports suggest they were visiting from Israel.

Agencies