For many years, Paul Kessler had been politically engaged — usually advocating for liberal causes — and infrequently sharing his viewpoints in Thousand Oaks’ native newspaper via witty, strongly worded letters to the editor.
The 69-year-old most lately answered a name to assist mount a counter-protest in assist of Israel at a busy intersection the place a pro-Palestinian group had been demonstrating usually in latest weeks because the Israel-Hamas conflict had intensified and, together with it, Individuals’ views on the battle.
On Sunday afternoon, Kessler carried an Israeli flag at Westlake and Thousand Oaks boulevards, the place virtually 100 folks between the 2 dueling protests had unfold across the intersection.
In some unspecified time in the future, an altercation broke out between Kessler and one of many pro-Palestinian demonstrators — the main points of which stay underneath investigation.
Kessler ended up on the bottom, bleeding with extreme head accidents, officers mentioned, and hours later, the Jewish man was lifeless.
Nobody has been arrested, however Ventura County sheriff’s officers say an investigation into the loss of life — thought of each a murder and a doable hate crime — is ongoing, with a identified suspect.
Witnesses from either side of the protests shared “conflicting statements” about what led to Kessler’s deadly fall and who the aggressor was, Sheriff Jim Fryhoff mentioned at a Tuesday information convention. Deputies say Kessler fell backward through the altercation, placing his head.
“What precisely transpired previous to Mr. Kessler falling backwards isn’t crystal clear proper now,” Fryhoff mentioned.
An post-mortem exhibits Kessler died from a blunt power head harm, and the coroner’s workplace dominated the style of loss of life a murder, Ventura County Chief Medical Examiner Christopher Younger mentioned. Nevertheless, Younger mentioned the style of loss of life doesn’t essentially level to prison intent, solely that the “loss of life occurred by the hands of one other particular person or the actions of one other particular person contributed to the loss of life of an individual.” Medical determinations of murder will be legally dominated self-defense or justified.
Younger mentioned Kessler suffered a deadly harm to the again of his head that was “according to and typical of accidents sustained from a fall.” Kessler additionally had “nonlethal accidents” on the left aspect of his face, which Younger mentioned may have been brought on by a blow to the face.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned the incident was reported simply after 3:20 p.m. Sunday. Deputies who arrived first discovered Kessler on the bottom, bleeding from his mouth and head, however acutely aware, Fryhoff mentioned. The Thousand Oaks resident remained acutely aware via testing and care at a hospital, however his situation shortly deteriorated, Younger mentioned. He was pronounced lifeless simply after 1 a.m. Monday.
Jonathan Oswaks mentioned he went to Sunday’s protest with Kessler. That they had met just a few weeks earlier when Oswaks posted a message on the web site Nextdoor asking folks to show in assist of Israel with him. Kessler responded to the message, and this was their second protest collectively, he mentioned.
Oswaks, 69, mentioned he noticed one of many pro-Palestinian protesters — who he believes is the suspect on this case — hit somebody together with his megaphone. Oswaks, who was throughout the road on the time, mentioned he didn’t instantly notice it was Kessler who had been struck and discovered later that his pal had been mortally wounded.
“I used to be damaged once I heard,” Oswaks mentioned whereas standing close to a rising memorial of flowers, candles and Jewish symbols left on the intersection.
And now, he doesn’t perceive why the person hasn’t been arrested.
“That they had every part proper there,” Oswaks mentioned of the deputies. “The suspect was sitting proper there on the curb.”
Bri Oard, a contract journalist, was driving previous the rally when she observed ambulances and firefighters there, she mentioned.
“I used to be praying in my head, hoping no violence occurred,” she mentioned.
Whereas she didn’t see Kessler accosted or fall to the bottom, she mentioned, she noticed paramedics loading a person onto an ambulance. She additionally noticed two legislation enforcement officers pull a person from the Free Palestine rally, sit him on the curb and converse with him, she mentioned.
The rallies have been happening each Sunday, Oard mentioned, however this was the primary time there was any violence, so far as she knew.
Oard mentioned she didn’t even notice how critical the incident was till she noticed posts on social media.
Kyle Jorrey, a former editor on the Thousand Oaks Acorn, mentioned Kessler had constantly submitted opinion items to the newspaper for not less than twenty years, a lot of which had been printed.
“An ardent Democrat, Kessler had a pointy wit and cherished a great takedown,” Jorrey wrote on X, previously referred to as Twitter.
“He was captivated with political points (liberal causes) and wasn’t afraid to let folks know the way he felt,” Jorrey mentioned in an announcement to The Instances. “Doesn’t shock me in any respect that he was on the market as a counter protestor even at his age. He attended many demonstrations associated to progressive causes.”
In Kessler’s neighborhood in Thousand Oaks, most residents had lowered their blinds and declined to remark.
Kessler’s loss of life has sparked mourning and alarm in Southern California’s Jewish group, with some leaders and public officers expressing outrage.
“We demand security. We is not going to tolerate violence in opposition to our group. We’ll do every part in our energy to forestall it,” the Jewish Federation of Better Los Angeles mentioned in an announcement.
The Anti-Defamation League referred to as on legislation enforcement “to launch an intensive investigation to find out who’s accountable.”
The Council on American–Islamic Relations launched an announcement saying it was “deeply saddened by this tragic and surprising loss. We be part of native Jewish leaders in calling on all people to chorus from leaping to conclusions, sensationalizing such a tragedy for political beneficial properties, or spreading rumors that would unnecessarily escalate tensions which might be already at an all-time excessive.”
“As particulars emerge and are confirmed, we stand resolute in condemnation of violence and antisemitism,” Mayor Karen Bass mentioned in an announcement Tuesday. “This loss of life is a blow to our area at a time when tensions proceed to rise worldwide.”
Fryhoff mentioned the suspect, recognized solely as a 50-year-old man from Moorpark, has been cooperative with investigators. He advised authorities he was “concerned in an altercation” with Kessler earlier than the person fell and hit his head. The suspect was amongst those that referred to as 911, the sheriff mentioned.
Deputies on Monday briefly detained the person after a visitors cease in Simi Valley whereas investigators served a search warrant at his residence. He was later launched, Fryhoff mentioned.
Fryhoff mentioned his deputies are dedicated to offering security and defending the rights of all residents, no matter religion or id. He mentioned the company has elevated patrols outdoors homes of worship and group facilities.
The sheriff mentioned surveillance video from a Shell fuel station adjoining to the place the confrontation occurred didn’t seize a transparent view of the incident. Authorities are asking for the general public to submit any video or photos from that day. Fryhoff requested anybody with info to contact Det. Corey Stump at (805) 384-4745 or name Crime Stoppers anonymously at (800) 222-8477.