Anti-LGBTQ violence has been surging across America over the past year.
Now a new incident in Florida just took that threat to a terrifying new level.
And a Florida man just weaponized his Ford Bronco against innocent runners minding their business.
A routine run turned into a nightmare in West Palm Beach
Night Runners WPB is a local LGBTQ+ running group that meets every Monday and Thursday evening at Howard Park in West Palm Beach for their regular workout.
Around 40 members gathered at the park on November 24 for their usual 8 p.m. run.
Nobody expected the night would end with them running for their lives.
Rudolph Galindo, the group's treasurer who's been with the club since it started nine years ago, noticed a man standing alone in the park.
He did what any friendly person would do – walked over and asked if the man was there to join their running group.
"He got into his car, pulled out, accelerating, pedal to the metal and coming right at me where I was standing," Galindo told ABC News.¹
https://twitter.com/Dapper_Det/status/2003848145353200037?s=20
What happened next was pure chaos.
The man – later identified as 43-year-old Ihab Mustafa El Mahmoud – aimed his Ford Bronco directly at Galindo and accelerated.
"This car is flying at you. I have never seen a car fly that fast right towards me in my entire life," Galindo recalled.²
The runners scattered, diving behind large banyan trees for cover as El Mahmoud's SUV tore across the parking lot.
Witnesses recorded the entire attack on their phones as the Bronco went airborne over the curb before tearing up grass and concrete.
But El Mahmoud wasn't done.
El Mahmoud wasn't done after missing the first time
He whipped that Bronco around and came back for round two.
"We were behind a tree, but at this point, it seemed like he didn't have any limits of what he was wanting to do or willing to do," Galindo stated.³
Witnesses told police that El Mahmoud "accelerated toward the runners, made a second attempt to strike them" before driving recklessly along sidewalks and through grassy areas.⁴
The group experienced what Galindo described as "fear and terror."
"It was an experience that I have never felt before," he said.⁵
El Mahmoud finally sped away from the scene, driving onto Okeechobee Boulevard toward downtown West Palm Beach.
Police responded around 8:20 p.m. and immediately issued a bulletin for the Ford Bronco.
https://twitter.com/talk2trav/status/2003862806286700573?s=20
Officers found El Mahmoud shortly after pulling into a parking garage in the 700 block of North Dixie Highway.
He was trying to remove his license plate when police took him into custody without incident.
El Mahmoud admitted the whole thing to police
He told detectives he became "offended and enraged" after being approached by Galindo.⁶
El Mahmoud claimed he believed the man was "making sexual advances toward him" and said he found the perceived interaction disrespectful.⁷
All Galindo had done was ask if he was there for the running group.
Detectives noted that El Mahmoud initially expressed no remorse before later saying he was "sorry but not regretful."⁸
The West Palm Beach Police Department initially charged El Mahmoud with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of reckless driving.
But prosecutors weren't satisfied with just those charges.
Prosecutors filed hate crime enhancement that could put him away for decades
On December 22, state attorneys filed documents including a hate crime enhancement related to one of the victims.
According to court documents, El Mahmoud "perceived…Jackson's sexual orientation and intentionally selected him for the assault."⁹
The hate crime enhancement means El Mahmoud could face significantly longer prison time if convicted.
During a bond hearing on December 3, Assistant State Attorney Freddelle Menard argued El Mahmoud is "extremely dangerous" and "purposely drove" at the runners.¹⁰
Despite his defense attorney claiming he is "not a flight risk," the judge denied bond.
https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2003848397196009892?s=20
El Mahmoud remains in custody awaiting trial.
His attorney, Devereaux Stephens, entered a plea of not guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Menard under State Attorney Alexcia Cox.
Under Florida's hate crime statute, a felony of the second degree is reclassified to a felony of the first degree.
A person convicted of a felony of the first degree in Florida may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 30 years.
El Mahmoud weaponized his vehicle against innocent people whose only "crime" was gathering for a run.
This wasn't road rage or a traffic dispute – this was targeted violence against people he perceived as LGBTQ.
The hate crime data backs up what happened in West Palm Beach.
Between May 2024 and May 2025, GLAAD documented 932 anti-LGBTQ incidents across 49 states – that breaks down to more than two attacks every single day.
Those incidents led to 84 injuries and 10 deaths.
Think about what set this guy off.
Galindo walked over and asked if he was there for the run. That's it. That simple question sent El Mahmoud into a murderous rage.
He admitted becoming "offended and enraged" over what he perceived as a slight.
That's the hatred fueling these attacks across America right now.
The runners did nothing wrong.
They gathered at a public park for exercise like millions of Americans do every week.
But El Mahmoud saw their existence as a provocation worthy of attempted murder.
¹ Rudolph Galindo, quoted in Megan Forrester, "Florida driver arrested after allegedly trying to strike LGBTQ running club with car," ABC News, November 26, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ "Florida Man Tried To Run Down LGBTQ Runners in SUV," Metro Weekly, December 2025.
⁴ "Man faces hate crime charge after allegedly aiming Ford Bronco SUV at LGBTQ+ run club," CBS12, December 24, 2025.
⁵ Rudolph Galindo, quoted in "Florida man Ihab Mustafa El Mahmoud faces felony hate crime charges," The Post Millennial, December 25, 2025.
⁶ "Florida Man Accused Of Trying To Run Over LGBTQ Jogging Group Claims So-Called 'Gay Panic Defense,'" Joe.My.God., December 2025.
⁷ Ibid.
⁸ Ibid.
⁹ "Man faces hate crime charge after allegedly aiming Ford Bronco SUV at LGBTQ+ run club," CBS12, December 24, 2025.
¹⁰ Ibid.
