‘Being Investigated as a Homicide’: CA Sheriff Says Events Leading to Elderly Jewish Man’s Death Are Not ‘Crystal Clear Right Now’

California authorities are investigating the death of 69-year-old Paul Kessler as a homicide and possible hate crime, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.

At a press conference, spokesperson Jim Fryhoff said the sheriff’s office was currently interviewing witnesses who saw Kessler fall backward, striking his head, at a demonstration by both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protesters on Sunday.

“What exactly transpired prior to Mr. Kessler falling backward is not crystal clear right now,” Fryhoff said, adding that an investigation into the incident began immediately after Kessler died at 3 a.m. Monday.

The person allegedly responsible for Kessler’s death has not been publicly identified, but Fryhoff said authorities have been in contact with a suspect:

Yesterday afternoon detectives obtained a search warrant for the suspect and the suspect’s residence. At 4:58 P.M., detectives conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle driven by the suspect in the city of Simi Valley. The suspect was detained, and until completion of the search warrant and was released at 6:15 p.m.

During the detention of the suspect, detectives executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence in the city of Moorpark. I cannot comment on the results of that search warrant as the investigation is ongoing. Instators have not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime, and this is being investigated as a homicide.

In a statement Monday, the sheriff’s office said that Kessler, who was Jewish, “was involved in a physical altercation with counter-protestor(s).” They said the incident appears to be “isolated and not part of a large effort.”

“We understand that the war in Israel and Gaza has led to an increase in hateful and threatening rhetoric, and we want to assure the Muslim and Jewish communities that we stand with them both during this difficult time,” Fryhoff said during the press conference.

Kessler’s death came just days before the one-month mark of the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians, which prompted Israel to declare war.

Watch the clip above via MSNBC.