Man got out of car, shot 2 he described as ‘2 Palestinians’ in Miami Beach, police say; victims hospitalized – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – Police arrested a man after, they said, he stopped his car in Miami Beach and opened fire at two men he described to detectives as “two Palestinians,” sending both victims to the hospital.

Surveillance video shows the victims as they arrived at a condominium building on Indian Creek Drive, Saturday night.

The pair were seen frantically getting out of their car. One of them had a blood stains on his T-shirt.

According to Miami Beach Police, the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Mordechai Brafman, shot at the victims 17 times.

Brafman is so stranger to 7News. More than a year ago, he was interviewed after a bagel shop in Miami Beach that was displaying the Israeli flag was vandalized.

“It’s absolutely abhorrent,” he said at the time. “I’d love to see some unity and people coming together and fighting less and being together more.”

He may have called for unity, but on Sunday, Brafman was charged with attempted murder, and police said he told investigators his victims were “two Palestinians.”

Brafman’s arrest report states the two victims were stopped on Alton Road, just north of 48th Street, when Brafman drove by them, at around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Detectives said the suspect, got out of his car, opened fire and then drove to a home a few minutes away on Pine Tree Drive, where officers caught up with him and took him into custody.

Neighbors who spoke with 7News described the chaos on their street, where 17 evidence markers showed where the bullets landed.

“Look at all of the police,” said an area resident.

“It was pretty intense. All the traffic was cleared; it was just police officers,” said another area resident.

“I was really in shock,” said a third area resident.

Meanwhile, the victims were transported to the hospital. Investigators said one of them was shot in the shoulder and the other was grazed on the forearm.

Why Brafman allegedly opened fire remains unclear, but his arrest report states:

“It should be noted that while in custody in our interview room, the defendant spontaneously stated that while he was driving his truck, he saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both. The victims and the defendant do not know each other.”

As of late Sunday night, police have not identified the victims in this case, but according to the arrest report, they told officers that the shooting was unprovoked.

Brafman is expected to appear in court on Monday.

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