‘Conflicting statements’ complicate investigation into Jewish man’s death at LA protest
LOS ANGELES — A 69-year-old Jewish man died Monday after suffering a head injury at a Thousand Oaks protest over the Israel-Hamas war, according to law enforcement officials.
Paul Kessler, who was part of a pro-Israel group protesting opposite a Free Palestine rally Sunday, died hours after he fell backward and hit his head on the ground during a confrontation between the two groups.
While investigators have identified a suspect in the incident, no arrests have been made, Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said at a news conference Tuesday. Witnesses from both sides of the protests have shared “conflicting statements” about what led to Kessler’s fall and who the aggressor was, Fryhoff said, noting that the investigation is ongoing.
“What exactly transpired prior to Mr. Kessler falling backwards isn’t crystal clear right now,” Fryhoff said. “We’re working tirelessly to gather all the facts and evidence related to this incident. We will do everything in our power, using every resource we have at our disposal, to make sense of the incident, and
