On Thursday, Nov. 16, Moorpark College faculty member Loay Alnaji was arrested for the death of Jewish protester Paul Kessler by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
The full-time computer science professor was charged with involuntary manslaughter and was subsequently booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Facility on Thursday. The suspect’s bail is set at $1,000,000, the VSCO said in a press release.
Kessler was a Jewish man from Thousand Oaks and a longtime member of nearby Temple Etz Chaim. The altercation between the pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian took place at a “Freedom for Palestine Protest” and “We Are Pro-Israel” counterprotest on Nov. 5 in Thousand Oaks.
Deputies revealed the difficulties of the investigation in a press conference on Nov. 7. Due to the limited photos and video footage of the incident, as well as conflicting witness statements given by pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protesters, Alnaji was arrested 11 days after the initial altercation.
In response to this news, Moorpark College’s community college district immediately issued a statement to students through email on Nov. 16.
“The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) is aware of the recent arrest of VCCCD employee, Loay Analji, in connection with the investigation into the tragic death of Paul Kessler,” the district said. “The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department has been conducting a thorough investigation, and the VCCCD has been in communication with law enforcement throughout this process.”
The district further revealed the current employment status of Alnaji due to these charges.
“Effective immediately, Mr. Analji will be placed on administrative leave in accordance with Education Code Section 87623. Necessary protocols have been taken to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff, which will remain our top priority.”
Education Code Section 87623 Section A states that at least two business days before an employee is placed on involuntary administrative leave, that the employee would need to be notified of the general nature of the allegation placed against them.
Section B, however, states that these requirements do not apply in the case of necessity, including but not limited to the risk of physical danger arising from the accusations made against that employee. It is unclear at this time which section was applicable to Alnaji’s case.
The professor taught a selection of on-campus and virtual courses within the Moorpark College computer science department this fall semester, including “Introduction to Computer Science” in Library and Learning Resources 126.
Open registration for the spring 2024 semester of Moorpark College classes began on Nov. 15. As of the announcement of Alnaji’s arrest, four courses taught by Alnaji were available for registration, both in-person and asynchronous.
More than 125 students have signed up for these courses. “CS M135 – Programming Concepts and Methodology II” – the only class for this course at Moorpark College – is enrolled to capacity.
While an arrest has been made, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to encourage members of the community with information on the criminal investigation to contact Detective Stump at (805) 384-4745.
“Any persons who were driving a vehicle equipped with video recording equipment, such as Teslas, in the area of Westlake Boulevard and Thousand Oaks Boulevard between 3:00 p.m. and 4 p.m. on November 5th, are encouraged to reach out to detectives or utilize the link provided below to download and submit video footage,” the VSCO said in a press release.
Alnaji is scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on Nov. 17 for a preliminary hearing.
*This is a series following the effects of the Israel-Hamas war on Moorpark College and local Ventura County residents. The previous story can be found here.*
