Joseph Michael Schreiber, 32, will be charged with felony arson with a hate-crime enhancement, CNN reported and could face a 30-year sentence because he had previously been imprisoned for a felony.
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The arson attack also coincided with the start of one of Islam’s holiest times of the year, Eid Al Adha, a holiday that remembers the prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for God.
Schreiber was charged with second-degree felony arson, and authorities will apply Florida’s hate crime enhancement to the charge, which will enhance the second-degree felony charge to a first-degree felony and will carry a possible 30-year prison sentence.
Schreiber posted anti-Islamic messages online that “corroborates our fear that it does have to do with hate to the Islamic community”, according to officials who did not elaborate on past crimes committed by the suspect that qualified him as re-offender that exacerbates his criminal punishment.
At a news conference announcing an arrest on Wednesday, Sheriff’s Major David Thompson said Schreiber owns a motorcycle like the one seen in the video. It took about four-and-a-half hours for firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
The arrest took place in downtown Fort Pierce, on Wednesday, Sept. 14.
The Islamic Center of Fort Pierce is where Omar Mateen used to pray before he shot 49 people to death and wounded 53 others at the Pulse nightclub in June.
The fire broke out late Sunday at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce.
Schreiber was arrested in Fort Pierce after tips from the public, including members of the Muslim community, matched surveillance footage that was earlier released by the sheriff’s office.
“Just like on June 12, when I was stressing that Mateen’s actions do not speak on behalf of Islam, I know that whatever religion Mr. Schreiber is, his actions do not speak on behalf of his religion”, Saleh said.
The FBI is continuing its investigation to see if Schreiber could face federal charges. “They’re a community feeling under attack”.
Leaders at the Islamic Center have vowed to rebuild the part of the mosque that was damaged and launched a donation campaign that had raised more than $18,000 as of Wednesday night. We never hear any stupid things coming out from anybody. He said the mosque began receiving threatening phone calls shortly after the Pulse massacre.
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The blaze has left the mosque’s members “saddened and scared”, said assistant imam Hamaad Rahman.
