By Shawn Henry 
A Florida man is facing a slate of criminal charges after authorities say he tried to ram his Ford Bronco into members of an LGBTQ+ running club in West Palm Beach. The incident unfolded when Ihab Mustafa El Mahmoud, 46, drove up on the group and reportedly became enraged after believing someone in the pack had made a remark toward him.
According to investigators, El Mahmoud responded by steering his SUV directly toward several runners and accelerating. The group managed to avoid being hit, but the situation escalated when he looped back for a second attempt. During that pass, he left the roadway and traveled up an embankment, which allowed the runners enough space to escape.
Instead of remaining at the scene, police say El Mahmoud sped away. He drove roughly 1.6 miles east along Okeechobee Boulevard before pulling into a public parking garage, where he removed his vehicle’s license plates in an apparent effort to avoid identification. Officers tracked him down within minutes after reviewing security footage from the area.
Initial charges included two counts of aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony and one count of reckless driving. But authorities later learned the group he allegedly targeted was part of an LGBTQ+ run club, raising the possibility of enhanced penalties. Investigators are now weighing whether the case meets the criteria for hate crime charges.
What began as a routine evening run ended in panic for the group and a quick police search for the suspect. The case now moves forward as prosecutors assess the full scope of charges tied to the confrontation.
John