MIAMI BEACH, Florida – A Florida man was arrested after he allegedly shot at two people he believed were Palestinians, but were later identified as visitors from Israel, the Miami Herald reports.
On Saturday, February 15, 2025, at approximately 9:30 p.m., 27-year-old Mordechai Brafman was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, on two counts of attempted second-degree murder.
According to Miami Beach police reports, Brafman allegedly fired 17 shots at a vehicle near the 4800 block of Pine Tree Drive, striking both occupants.
The victims sustained non-fatal injuries; one was shot in the shoulder, and the other was grazed on the arm, according to NBC 6.
Authorities stated that the attack was unprovoked, and there was no prior connection between Brafman and the victims.
Upon arrest, Brafman reportedly told officers that he “saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both,” Local 10 reported.
WSVN noted that the alleged incident marks a stark contrast to Brafman’s previous public stance against hate crimes. In December 2023, he condemned acts of vandalism targeting a Miami Beach bagel shop, describing them as “abhorrent” and expressing concern over community fragmentation.