Man Arrested in Connection With Arson at Florida Mosque

The mosque was sometimes attended by Pulse shooter Omar Mateen
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 14, 2016 6:40 PM CDT
Man Arrested in Connection With Arson at Florida Mosque
Joseph Schreiber   (St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Police have arrested a suspect in the fire that left a 100-square-foot hole in the roof of a Florida mosque occasionally attended by Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen, WKMG reports. According to Reuters, 32-year-old Joseph Schreiber is believed to be behind Sunday's arson at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce. Scrhreiber was caught based on tips and surveillance video, the Palm Beach Post reports. The arson charge against Schreiber carries a hate-crime enhancement.

Schreiber has been arrested at least 11 times since 2003 and spent time in prison in 2008 and 2010 for theft. As a "prison release re-offender," he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years. He could get life in prison if convicted as a "habitual felony offender." Police say Schreiber made anti-Islamic posts to social media. The Post quotes one such post, which reads: "ALL ISLAM...should be considered TERRORIST AND CRIMINALS and all hoo participate in such activity should be found guilty of WAR CRIM." No one was injured in the arson, and it's unclear if the mosque was targeted because Mateen went there. (More arson stories.)

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