On October 31, 1986, 37-year-old African American male Rudolph Broussard was shot and killed in Opa-locka, Florida, in a violent incident tied to escalating tensions between local residents and members of a controversial religious sect known as the Yahwehs, or the Nation of Yahweh. Broussard, along with 28-year-old Anthony Brown, had publicly opposed the Yahwehs’ recent acquisition of a five-building apartment complex in the area. Both men had been vocal in the media, with Broussard appearing on television and Brown quoted in newspapers, expressing their refusal to vacate the premises despite pressure from the group.
In the early hours of that morning, four armed men arrived in two vehicles and stormed the apartment shared by Broussard and Brown. Witnesses reported that Broussard, a 37-year-old African American male, was shot execution-style while on his knees, pleading for his life. He was struck twice in the head. Brown was also fatally shot during the attack. The violence followed a series of confrontations between the Yahwehs and the tenants, as the group had begun forcibly removing residents and cleaning out apartments just days after purchasing the property.
Shortly after the shootings, police apprehended a suspect identified as 33-year-old Neariah Israel, also known as Robert Rozier, a member of the Yahweh sect. He was found hiding in nearby bushes with the help of a police dog and was charged with first-degree murder. Rozier, a former professional football player, later admitted to multiple killings carried out on behalf of the Yahweh group and eventually turned state's witness against the organization and its leader. His cooperation led to further investigations into the group's activities, which included allegations of violence, firebombings, and child abuse.
The murders of 37-year-old African American male Rudolph Broussard and 28-year-old Anthony Brown marked a turning point in public scrutiny of the Yahweh sect, prompting law enforcement to take more aggressive action against the group. In the aftermath, the remaining families in the apartment complex were evacuated and placed in emergency shelters for their safety. The case remains a chilling example of how ideological extremism and community conflict can erupt into deadly violence.
