A man stands accused of escalating his personal offense into an act that could have proven deadly for members of a local LGBTQ+ running club, Night Runners WPB, and he is now facing a hate crime charge for his alleged attempt to strike them with his SUV. This incident transpired on November 24 at Howard Park, as reported by CBS12, when Ihab Mustafa El Mahmoud purportedly aimed his Ford Bronco at the group during their evening run.
Witnesses described seeing the 43-year-old El Mahmoud become visibly upset after a supposed comment from a club member, subsequent to which he reputedly drove onto a sidewalk and grass area near the runners, them nearly hitting scrambling for safety behind nearby banyan trees while El Mahmoud made a second attempt to hit them, according to a statement obtained by CBS12.
The Palm Beach County prosecutors have now filed hate crime enhancements, especially relevant in the case of one identified victim, with the implication being that the assault was not just an act of unmanageable rage but a targeted attack fueled by perceptions of sexual orientation. Assistant State Attorney Freddelle Menard has highlighted the peril presented by the suspect, describing El Mahmoud as "extremely dangerous" during a bond hearing where El Mahmoud was denied the opportunity to post bail, per a CBS12 report.
The suspect is presently held without bond in Palm Beach County Jail, his attorney Devereaux Stephens maintains his client's plea of not guilty and yet, amidst these proceedings, a police report suggests that El Mahmoud was, in his own admission, "offended and enraged" believing one of the runners made a sexual advance toward him, a detail corroborated by WPBF with no reported expression of remorse from El Mahmoud.
As the case continues in the Palm Beach County Circuit Court, the implications of the hate crime enhancement could result in increased severity of sentencing for El Mahmoud, facing significant prison time if convicted.
