PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — A memorial service is planned this weekend for a 20-year-old Port Charlotte native who was killed while visiting the West Bank.
The U.S. Department of State confirmed Wednesday that Sayfollah Musallet, a Palestinian-American, had been killed while on a trip in the West Bank on July 11.
Watch Fox 4's Alex Orenczuk report on Sayfollah Musallet's death:
"We offer condolences to the family on their loss and are providing consular assistance to them. We are greatly concerned when any U.S. citizen is harmed overseas, wherever that may be," Tammy Bruce from the Department of State said during a press conference Wednesday.
Musallet's family says he was killed by Israeli settlers, while he was protecting his family's property in Sanjil. He had been helping run his family's ice cream business in Tampa before his death.
"As a result of that, he's ambushed by a mob of illegal settlers, and they beat him to death with clubs and bats, beat him to death," said Hiba Rahim, Deputy Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Florida.
Lawmakers from across the country are calling for an investigation into Musallet's death, including Hakeem Jeffries, Jim Himes and Laura DeLauro.
Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee issued one of the strongest statements, calling for Israel to investigate what he described as a "criminal and terroristic act."
"Just because this young man is Palestinian, does he not deserve the same rights and the same prosecution to his murderers as another American? Absolutely not," Rahim said.
A community vigil for Musallet is scheduled at the Islamic Community of Tampa Mosque on Saturday at 7 p.m.
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