Moorpark professor arrested and charged in death of Jewish protester in Thousand Oaks
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (KABC) -- A Moorpark College professor was charged Thursday with involuntary manslaughter and battery in the death of a Jewish protester who authorities said died after a confrontation with pro-Palestinian demonstrators at a rally in Thousand Oaks.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in a statement that both charges have special allegations that Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji, 50, personally inflicted "great bodily injury" on Paul Kessler, 69, during a confrontation at an event that started as a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
Involuntary manslaughter is the unintentional killing of another person.
The district attorney did not explain what evidence they had to support those charges but planned a news conference for Friday.
According to authorities, Kessler died as a result of injuries he sustained at the Nov. 5 event.
There were two competing rallies that day near Westlake and Thousand Oaks boulevards in favor of the Israeli and Palestinian sides of the current conflict, according to the Sheriff's Office.
It is believed Kessler was involved in an altercation with pro-Palestinian demonstrators when he was injured. He then fell and hit his head on the ground, authorities said.
Last week, Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said the suspect in the case was detained following a traffic stop in Simi Valley. His name wasn't released at the time. Fryhoff said he was at the demonstration advocating pro-Palestinian views.
"[The suspect] willingly remained at the scene and was interviewed by deputies," said Fryhoff during a news conference last week. "The suspect was cooperative and indicated that he was involved in an altercation with Mr. Kessler. The suspect further stated that he was one of the reporting parties who called 911 requesting medical attention for Mr. Kessler."
Fryhoff said investigators had received conflicting information from witnesses on both sides about what took place, impairing witness credibility and making it difficult to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Investigators said though an arrest has been made, they urge people to come forward with any information. They're also asking people who may have been in the area driving a vehicle equipped with video recording equipment, like Teslas, to come forward.
Meanwhile, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles released a statement, commending the work of authorities.
This arrest shows that violence towards our Jewish community will not be tolerated.Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles
"We are grateful for the swift work of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department in response to the tragic death of Mr. Paul Kessler. This arrest shows that violence towards our Jewish community will not be tolerated. We will continue to monitor the case to help ensure justice is served. Our heartfelt condolences continue to be with the family of Paul Kessler and may his memory forever be a blessing."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
