Suspect in Death of Elderly Jewish Man 'Cooperative' in Homicide Investigation

Ventura County officials said on Tuesday (November 7) that the suspect in the confrontation that led to the death of 69-year-old Jewish man Paul Kessler has been "cooperative" in the investigation regarding the incident.

However, authorities investigating the homicide case declined to identify the suspect or classify the incident as a hate crime as they were still piecing together what led to the dispute.

It was previously reported that Kessler was allegedly struck in the head by a megaphone held by a pro-Palestine demonstrator before falling backward and hitting his head on the ground, a detail supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles in its statement.

The autopsy of Kessler's corpse determined that he died due to a blunt-force head injury. It also revealed that the manner of death was a homicide, a death at the hands of another person but did not suggest wrongdoing.

"Manner of death [by] homicide does not indicate a crime has been committed - that's determined by the DA's office," Ventura County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Christopher Young said.

Authorities in Search for More Evidence

Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff told reporters that deputies and first responders found Kessler on the ground and still conscious when they arrived at the scene. The suspect, aged 50, "willingly remained" at the scene and was interviewed by deputies, he added.

Detectives eventually obtained a search warrant for him and his Moorpark home on Monday (November 6) before he was detained and later released.

No other arrests were made in relation to the case, Fryhoff said.

Other witnesses were interviewed in relation to the incident but yielded "conflicting" accounts.

For this matter, the sheriff asked the public and witnesses to come forward with photos, videos, or leads regarding what happened.

LA Mayor: More Needs to be Done to Curb War-Related Violence

Meanwhile, Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass addressed Kessler's death in a statement on Tuesday, saying that it was "a blow to our region at a time when tensions continue to rise worldwide."

"We must redouble our efforts to ensure violence and hate are met with accountability and consequences," She added. "Los Angeles refuses to harbor this hatred."

Both the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and the LA office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations both condemned antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Funeral services for Kessler have been scheduled for Tuesday.