Police: Suspect said he wanted to “run the Arabs out of our country.”

Man said he wanted to burn down store because he believed owner was Muslim

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WEBVTT ETHNICITY?ARI: IT IS ACTUALLY WHAT HETHOUGHT THE ETHNICITY WAS.THIS IS THE DUMPSTER HE SET ONFIRE.THE LID MELTED FROM THE HEATUNDERNEATH IT.AGAIN, THE MOTIVE FOR THIS CRIMERIGHT FROM THE SUSPECT'S MOUTH-- NOTHING BUT PURE HATE.64-YEAR-OLD RICHARD LLOYD WASQUIET AS HE WAS LED OUT OF THESHERIFF'S OFFICE IN HANDCUFFS,BUT INVESTIGATORS SAY HE TALKEDPLENTY AS THEY WERE ARRESTINHIM, EXPLAINING WHY HE TRIED TOSET A PORT ST. LUCIE CONVENIENCESTORE ON FIRE.THIS IS SECURITY VIDEO FROM THESTORE.ABOUT 7:40 FRIDAY MORNING,INVESTIGATORS SAY THAT'S LLOYDWALKING THROUGH THE PARKING LOTOF THE MET MART ON PRIMA VISTABOULEVARD.WHAT THE VIDEO DOESN'T SHOW ISLLOYD ROLLING A DUMPSTER IN%FRONT OF THE STORE AND SETTIIT ON FIRE.ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT,LLOYD TOLD DEPUTIES HE HOPED TOBURN THE BUILDING DOWN.HIS MOTIVE -- "TO RUN THE ARABSOUT OF OUR COUNTRY."THE ARAB LLOYD WAS REFERRING TOIS THE STORE MANAGER, SAMMPATEL.LLOYD SAYS HE WENT INTO THESTORE A FEW DAYS AGO AND SEEINGPATEL MADE HIM ANGRY.HE TOLD DEPUTIES BURNING THEAMERICA."BUT PATEL IS NOT ARAB, HE IS NOTMUSLIM.HE'S OF INDIAN DESCENT.PATEL DID NOT WANT TO TALK ONCAMERA, BUT WHEN I TOLD HIMLLOYD'S MOTIVE, HE PUT HIS HEADIN HIS HANDS AND TOLD ME YOF CERTAIN PEOPLE.THIS IS A MESSY SITUATION.THE GOOD NEWS IS NOBODY WASINJURED IN THIS FIRE.LLOYD IS FACING AN ARSON CHARGEAND IS CURRENTLY IN JAIL.

Advertisement Man said he wanted to burn down store because he believed owner was Muslim Police: Suspect said he wanted to “run the Arabs out of our country.” Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A Treasure Coast man was arrested Friday morning, accused of trying to set a convenience store on fire. Police said 64-year-old Richard Lloyd, of Fort Pierce, told them he was targeting the manager, who he believed was Muslim. The manager, Hemant Patel, is not Muslim. He is of Indian descent. According to the police report, Lloyd was in the parking lot of the Met Mart in Port St. Lucie around 7:40 Friday morning. >>Download WPBF 25 News App: Apple IOS | Android The store was closed and security shutters were up around the building. Investigators said Lloyd told them he wheeled a dumpster to the front of the store and set the garbage inside on fire. He said he was hoping the fire would spread to the building and then the alcohol inside would ignite, causing the building to collapse. Police said the dumpster was burning when they arrived. They said when Lloyd saw deputies arrive, he immediately put his hands behind his back and surrendered. The police report said Lloyd had been inside the store a few days earlier and got angry when they didn’t have the brand of orange juice he was looking for. He then saw Patel and assumed he was Muslim, making Lloyd even angrier. Patel was visibly shaken when he talked to WPBF 25 News Friday afternoon. He said he’s glad Lloyd was arrested and only minimal damage was done to the store but he’s disappointed to hear hatred was the motivation. “It’s a messy situation,” Patel said. “You just can’t change the thinking of some people.” Lloyd was charged with first degree arson. He told police he has a long history of mental illness. It’s not clear if he will charged with a hate crime.