WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Members of an LGBTQ+ running group say they had to run for their lives Monday night when a driver intentionally tried to hit them with his SUV at Howard Park in West Palm Beach.
Police arrested Ihab Mustafa El Mahmoud and charged him with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of reckless driving after the incident involving about 40 members of the "Night Runners" running club.
WATCH BELOW: Man accused of driving SUV toward West Palm Beach runners
Cellphone video taken by a club member showed an SUV speeding recklessly through the parking lot, forcing people to scatter and take cover.
"His intent was absolutely to scare us, which he did," said Rudolph Galindo, founder of the group Night Runners WPB. "It was a shock. I was in shock."
Galindo said he spotted El Mahmoud in the parking lot and spoke with him before the incident occurred.
"I asked him if he was a part of the run group. He said, 'No,'" Galindo said.
Galindo said El Mahmoud then got in his car and nearly backed into him.
"He came towards me, it was probably about 2 feet," Galindo said.
Galindo witnessed the driver leave the area, then circle back toward the group.
"Everybody started running," he said.
We asked him if he feared for his life.
"Absolutely, I was terrified that it would be me or one of our other members," Galindo responded.
Police located El Mahmoud hours after the incident.
Investigators said he admitted to driving at the running group after becoming "offended and enraged" because a runner allegedly made sexual advances toward him. Galindo denies that it happened.
"I'm the only person that spoke with him, and that was about the extent of our conversation," Galindo said.
Officers said El Mahmoud told them "he is sorry but not regretful," and they're now considering additional charges.
"Our department is working with the State Attorney's Office to potentially enhance the charges and add hate crime charges if applicable," West Palm Beach police spokeswoman Rachel Leitão said.
Galindo said he just wants to understand what motivated the attack.
"Was this intended to harm the group, or was there another reason behind it?" Galindo said.
No one was injured in Monday night's incident, but the run was canceled.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed what happened or has video to contact them.
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