A 43-year-old man from West Palm Beach, Florida, is confronting felony charges, classified as a hate crime, following allegations of attempting to run over members of a local LGBTQ+ running group.
As reported by The Post Millennial, the incident occurred last month when Night Runners WPB assembled at Howard Park in Palm Beach for their 8 pm run. Ihab Mustafa El Mahmoud allegedly "purposely drove his car towards the victims and the group of people," according to the West Palm Beach Police Department.
The situation reportedly escalated after a group member made a passing remark to El Mahmoud, prompting him to accelerate his vehicle toward the runners, navigating through a parking lot, onto a sidewalk, and across the grass, narrowly missing several individuals.
Rudolph Galindo, the group's treasurer, recounted the harrowing experience, expressing that he felt "fear and terror" during the ordeal. "It was an experience that I have never felt before," he shared with CBS 12. Initially, El Mahmoud faced charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and reckless driving.
During a bond hearing earlier this month, the assistant state attorney labeled him as "extremely dangerous" and noted that he "purposely drove" at the runners, leading the judge to deny bond.
The state attorneys have now added a hate crime enhancement to the charges, specifically concerning one of the victims. Court documents reveal that El Mahmoud "perceived...Jacksons sexual orientation and intentionally selected him for the assault." This enhancement could result in a significantly extended prison sentence if El Mahmoud is convicted.
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