A 19-year-old man from Plantation, Florida, has been taken into custody after allegedly using a water gun to spray two Jewish individuals with an unidentified liquid while they walked in northeast Miami-Dade County, an event now under investigation as a hate crime.

Amir Ayesh is slated to face two felony counts of battery with prejudice, as confirmed by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. The events occurred on May 9 near Northeast 10th Avenue and 171st Street, within a community known for its sizable Jewish population.

Officials reported that the two victims described being targeted by someone inside a black vehicle who discharged the unknown substance. Investigators identified Ayesh through analysis of surveillance recordings, according to reports from CBS Miami.

An arrest warrant was secured on June 11, leading to Ayesh’s detention on June 18 in Plantation with support from Broward Sheriff’s deputies and additional agencies. He was processed at the Broward County Correctional Center and freed the next day based on available records.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office indicated Ayesh will be charged under Florida statutes with two counts of battery with prejudice, a provision that addresses bias-motivated offenses. The formal charges had not yet surfaced in court filings as of the latest updates from the Miami Herald.

Florida statutes allow for increased penalties when crimes demonstrate prejudice tied to protected traits such as religion, resulting in reclassification to a higher offense level.

Similar cases reported earlier this year

This development follows another comparable event in Miami Beach during February, when two local men were detained for allegedly directing a water gun at a Jewish victim in the Mid-Beach district.

In the prior incident, Miami Beach authorities noted the victim stood near 41st Street and Collins Avenue alongside other visibly Jewish individuals when a black SUV approached. At least one suspect reportedly yelled “Jews! Jews!” before releasing the liquid from the water gun.

The individuals involved in that case, Michael Dean Emerson, 19, from Coral Springs, and Dominic Angelo Martinez, 18, from Tamarac, each received charges of battery with prejudice, per Local 10.

The recent arrest occurs against a backdrop of rising antisemitic activity nationwide. The Anti-Defamation League reported that 2025 marked the third-highest annual total for such incidents since tracking began in 1979.

Miami-Dade County hosts one of the nation’s largest Jewish populations, with a 2024 community study estimating around 130,100 Jewish residents, representing roughly 5 percent of the county’s total inhabitants.

Anyone possessing details about the latest event is encouraged to reach Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.