A Framingham man has been charged for shooting a pro-Palestinian protester during an altercation at a pro-Israeli rally in Newton, Massachusetts, on Thursday evening.
At around 6:40 p.m. Thursday, Newton police responded to an altercation near Washington and Harvard streets in the Newtonville neighborhood. Ryan said a small group of pro-Israeli demonstrators were gathered at the street corner.
According to Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan, an individual who apparently was randomly walking down the other side of the street, exchanged words with the demonstrators back and forth across the street.
Video footage of the incident that has since been circulating on social media shows a protester, seen wearing a Palestinian pin, shouting at the group, calling them "sick" and accusing them of "defending genocide."
Moments later, the activist is seen running across the street and tackling one of the protestors to the ground and a struggle ensued. The protestor, identified as 47-year-old Iraq War veteran Scott Hayes, discharged his firearm seconds later, shooting the pro-Palestinian activist in the stomach.
Hayes was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and violation of a constitutional right causing injury, authorities said. He was scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning in Newton District Court. Hayes legally possessed the firearm.
The man shot reportedly suffered life-threatening injuries. In another video, Hayes was seen rendering medical assistance to the man.
Hayes was with a group of pro-Israel individuals holding American, Israeli, and Pahlavi Iranian flags in various parts of Massachusetts to raise awareness about the hostages and the troubles of the Iranian regime.
