Authorities in North Ridgeville, Ohio, arrested 20-year-old Hesham A. Ayyad on Tuesday and charged him for allegedly faking a hate crime attack last month.
According to Cleveland.com, On Oct. 22 Ayyad told the Cleveland chapter of the Islamic Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) that he was assaulted by someone in an SUV making “anti-Palestinian slurs.” However, investigators found his injuries were the result of a fight with his brother.
On Oct. 23, CAIR issued a press release on the incident that said Ayyad was the victim of a “reported hit and run,” and said that “he was walking home from eating lunch when a car slowed down and rolled down the window. The driver of the car allegedly started yelling at him using anti-Palestinian statements like “Kill all Palestinians,” and “Long live Israel,” as he swerved his car to intimidate the victim. The driver then allegedly turned around and hit the man while shouting “DIE!” CAIR attached a picture of Ayyad in the hospital, wearing a neck brace.
Police officials said that the 20-year-old told them he was struck by a vehicle in a racially motivated assault. After an investigation, police said Ayyad was not the victim of a racially motivated assault, and that video evidence showed “that injuries sustained at the time of the incident were caused by a violent fight that the alleged victim had participated in with his brother.”
Hellbound and Down 