Suspect in 9/11 anniversary arson attack on Florida mosque arrested

A man suspected of starting the fire that heavily damaged the Islamic Center in Fort Pierce, Florida has been arrested. 

A man suspected of starting the fire that heavily damaged the Islamic Center in Fort Pierce, Florida has been arrested. 

The crime was committed on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

“A fire at any place of worship is a tragedy. Early evidence led to us to believe this was an arson attempt,” St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Garry Wilson told reporters on Wednesday. 

The sheriff’s office said they arrested Joseph Michael Schreiber, 32, who had a previous conviction for armed robbery, 65 hours after the fire was started. The sheriff added that they followed up on community tips and surveillance footage, which showed a man leaving the mosque on a motorcycle.

After obtaining a search warrant to investigate Schreiber’s home, a motorcycle found there matched the one seen on surveillance footage. Police were still at the home collecting evidence at the time of the Wednesday evening news conference.