An apparent Palestine supporter could be seen charging at an Iraq War veteran at a pro-Israel demonstration and was shot Thursday, according to Kassy Akiva, a journalist for the Daily Wire.
Akiva obtained footage of the apparent assault and scuffle that occurred in Newton, Massachusetts that she shared on her social media page.
🚨BREAKING🚨
A man wearing a Palestinian pin was shot in the stomach this evening after he charged through traffic and tackled a pro-Israel Iraq war veteran in Newton, Massachusetts.pic.twitter.com/Ix5JEJaJNp
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) September 13, 2024
The footage opens with a man sporting what Akiva said was “a Palestinian pin.” The man can be heard shouting at a female Israel supporter that she is “sick” because she is “defending genocide.”
“Genocide?!” the Israel supporter can be heard saying. “You are so stupid!”
The man then claims that the current Hamas-Israel war affected “over 200,000 Palestinians.” The video then cut to a new clip. The apparent Palestine supporter can be seen running across the street through traffic toward the pro-Israel demonstrators. (RELATED: University Reassigns Police Chief Weeks After Violence Breaks Out During Pro-Palestinian Protest)
The apparent Palestine supporter then appears to tackle a man in the demonstration and a scuffle can be seen breaking out with people in the crowd trying to restrain him. “Get off of him,” one of the pro-Israel supporters said.
Blurry footage captured the moment when a gunshot-like sound can be heard. The man struggling with the apparent Palestine supporter then appears to put a pistol down on the sidewalk. “Grab my pistol,” he appears to say.
“Call the cops,” another man can be heard saying in the video.
The man who was apparently tacked can be seen providing medical care to the other man in a second video. The Daily Wire was the first to report on the footage.
Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan’s office charged Scott Hayes, 47 with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and violation of constitutional right causing injury, the DA said, according to WCVB 5.
In a second video, the veteran is seen giving medical care to the man who tackled him until first responders arrived.
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) September 13, 2024
The Newton Police Department shared a video of a state official at a press conference who claimed that Hayes obtained the pistol legally and that it was Hayes who discharged the weapon “at some point.”
When asked by the press whether the man who assaulted Hayes was pro-Palestine, the official said “I think it’s too soon to get into that.”
A GoFundMe was launched to support the war veteran claiming that he “was about to leave” when he got tackled. The page observed that Scott is not Jewish but strongly identifies with Israel and the Jewish people. So far over $80,000 has been raised.