A 27-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly shooting at two people in Miami Beach on Saturday night, with the shooter claiming to have targeted “two Palestinians.” Mordechai Brafman faces two counts of attempted second-degree murder, reports NBC Miami.
Surveillance footage shows Brafman’s truck heading south on Pine Tree Drive before making a U-turn at 48th Street, where he stopped directly in front of a vehicle with two victims inside. Brafman then reportedly exited his vehicle, approached the driver’s side, and began shooting at the victims as they passed by. The report states the victims’ vehicle was shot 17 times, with both individuals inside being struck.
One of the victims was injured in the left shoulder, while the second suffered a graze wound on their forearm. Brafman was later arrested at a nearby address on Pine Tree Drive.
In an interview with police, Brafman allegedly said, “while I was driving my truck, I saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both.” However, no fatalities occurred. Police clarified that while the victims were visiting from Israel, they did not confirm their nationality or whether they were Palestinian. Social media posts identified the victims as an Israeli father and son.
Brafman is a married man and a condominium owner who works as a plumber. He remains in custody at the Miami-Dade Corrections Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, awaiting further legal proceedings.
The incident sparked concerns over the motivation behind the attack, with the police continuing their investigation. Brafman’s attorney has advised him to remain silent regarding the details of the shooting, which is still being examined.
Netizens were quick to highlight the alleged rise in anti-Arab sentiment, including racism and Islamophobia, particularly following the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.