A Jewish man shot a car in Miami Beach after spotting what he thought were “two Palestinians” inside — but the victims were actually a father and son visiting from Israel, according to police.
Mordechai Brafman, a 27-year-old plumber, allegedly fired 17 shots at the Hyundai around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, injuring the two Israeli Jews inside before fleeing and being apprehended by cops nearby, according to WSVN-TV News and Ynet News.
Brafman is now incarcerated and facing attempted murder charges.
“It should be noted that while in custody in our interview room, the defendant spontaneously stated that while driving his truck, he saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both,” police told the TV station, citing the suspect’s mistaken belief that he had murdered the pair.
According to Ynet, one of the victims was shot in the left shoulder, and the other received a graze wound to the arm.
“The victims and the defendant do not know each other,” police said in their statement.
According to police, Brafman was driving on Alton Road just north of 48th Street when he noticed the two victims and made a U-turn, approaching the car and opening fire.
“It was a truck passing next to [us],” the younger victim, Ari Revay, told WPLG-TV in Hebrew. “Boom, boom, boom, and he suddenly began shooting.
“He put the window down, the driver’s seat and just blasted,” Revay told me. “God, life is a gift.”
A WSVN reporter posted video footage on X showing one of the victims with a bullet hole and bloodied t-shirt, sitting in a hospital bed.
According to records, Brafman is currently being held without bond at the Miami-Dade County Jail.
He previously made headlines in 2023, when he was quoted by media outlets after a local bagel shop was vandalised for displaying an Israeli flag.
“It is just horrifying,” Brafman stated at the time. “I would like to see more unity, for people to fight less with each other and be more together.”
