An Israeli-American man was mowed down by an enraged Palestinian man in a horrific act of hatred in a California suburb, police said.
Roy Gross, 28, was partying with three friends in Laguna Beach when he got into a loud argument with two men who identified themselves as Palestinian-Iranian, according to reports. hebrew newsHe said, citing the police report.
Witnesses said the enraged men hurled slurs at Israel and blocked Gross and his friends from getting into a taxi before one of the assailants jumped in his car and tried to run them over. That's what it means.
Gross suffered severe injuries, including compound fractures to his leg.
“This is the first time I have encountered violence like this,” Gross, who immigrated to the United States in 2014 after serving in the Israel Defense Forces, told Hebrew News from his hospital bed.
“While we tried to de-escalate the conflict and avoid confrontation, the suspect acted with malice and intent to cause harm,” it added.
Police arrested the perpetrator and are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Gross, who works as an entrepreneur and music producer, appeared to be in good spirits through the harrowing ordeal, flashing a “hang loose” sign as paramedics loaded him into an ambulance. This can be seen from the photos at the scene.
He has already undergone one surgery on his broken leg and will need at least one more, Hebrew News reported.
