Veteran Charged After Defending Himself Against Anti-Israel Attacker

A man wearing a Palestinian pin was shot in Newton, Massachusetts Thursday evening after he charged across a street and tackled a pro-Israel veteran protester.

In a video shared with The Daily Wire, the man with the pin, sporting a surgical mask around his neck, stood across the street shouting at the group of 10 protesters, calling them “sick” and accusing them of “defending genocide.”

BREAKING: Anti-Israel man shot in stomach after charging through traffic and tackling a man at a pro-Israel demonstration outside Boston in Newton, Massachusetts. He was seen screaming at the demonstrators before his attack.

Footage obtained exclusively by @KassyAkiva: pic.twitter.com/4imddZ1D7p

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) September 13, 2024

Scott Hayes, 47, of Framingham, Mass., was getting ready to leave when the assailant began yelling at the group, showing his middle finger and shouting at the protesters.

In the next video, the man charges across the street through traffic and tackles Hayes, an Iraq War veteran, who was carrying an American flag during the protest. Seconds later, the gun was discharged and the man was shot in the stomach during their tussle on the ground, another video angle shows. 

Hayes then places the gun on the sidewalk behind him as bystanders try to break the two apart. After the altercation, Hayes told bystanders to call 911, and tended to wounds of the man who tackled him, a video shared with The Daily Wire shows.

In another video, the man who fired the gun is seen providing medical care to the man who tackled him before first responders arrived. pic.twitter.com/wMtoowakr9

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) September 13, 2024

Hayes is being charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and violation of a constitutional right causing injury, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said. Ryan said the veteran had full legal possession of the gun, according to Boston 25 News. The veteran’s fellow protesters say they were not aware he had a gun, but believe he was acting in self defense.

The man shot reportedly suffered life-threatening injuries.

Hayes was with a group of pro-Israel individuals hold American, Israeli, and Pahlavi Iranian flags in various parts of Massachusetts to raise awareness about the hostages and the troubles of the Iranian regime. Newton, a suburb of Boston and considered one of the most Jewish cities in the United States, with Jews comprising between 20-30% of the population, according to Forward.

Aidin, a pro-Israel Iranian who runs the From Boston to Iran group and was present at the altercation, told The Daily Wire that he was not sure how the gun was discharged. 

“I saw him bring his hand up to the veteran and I tried to go closer until I heard the shot fired.”

“We’ve been to standouts like this often and nothing like this has ever happened,” he said, declining to give his last name. “I was shocked when the man ran across the street and had no idea why he would do that.”

Aidin said he was not sure why the man charged Hayes instead of the other members of the group. He also said the person shot was in stable condition.

The Newton Police, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, said they will increase police patrols around houses of worship following the incident.