“One thing that didn’t burn, police say, was a note referencing the Black Lives Matter movement, the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile at the hands of police and declaring “(censored) The POLICE!!!”
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“I really do believe in my heart of hearts that we have a really great rapport with our community overall”, Chitwood said. “And it’s sad. Certainly not the world I want my grandkids to grow up in”.
Officers were called around 2:30 a.m. for reports of a vehicle fire.
The Daytona Beach Police said in a statement that the vehicle was being used as a “ghost car” to deter crime in the area.
A nearby resident told the Daytona Beach News-Journal that the vehicle had been parked outside the mosque since the shooting last month at a gay nightclub in Orlando, which killed 49 people.
The case is being investigated as arson.
Chitwood said it’s unclear if the fire was caused by anti-police protesters, adding they have no suspects or persons of interest.
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The State Fire Marshal has taken over the investigation, police said.
