Muslim beaten up outside Florida mosque

Authorities said they have arrested a suspect for beating a man outside a Florida mosque that Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen had attended, and an Islamic group said the victim was a Muslim.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations said racial slurs were made by the attacker, though authorities said they had no immediate indication of any racially motivated comments. Authorities said, however, that they were continuing to investigate.

St. Lucie county sheriff Ken J. Mascara said deputies were called to the Fort Pierce Islamic Centre on Saturday by a caller who said someone was attempting to burglarise a vehicle.

His statement said deputies found a man bleeding from the mouth who said he was approached by a man who “asked him what he was doing and then punched him several times in the face and head.”

Mr Mascara added that the man left but an officer’s traffic stop minutes later halted a vehicle and the victim subsequently “positively identified the driver as the man who attacked him.”

The sheriff’s statement said a suspect identified as Taylor Anthony Mazzanti, 25, was arrested and has been charged with felony battery. Mazzanti was booked into jail on a $3,750 bond.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Mazzanti had an attorney. Mr Mascara didn’t identify the victim, but said he was treated for injuries at a medical centre and released.

The Council, or CAIR, issued a statement earlier that a white truck stopped at the mosque early Saturday and that a man had made slurs, saying “You Muslims need to get back to your country.”

Mateen’s father is among the roughly 100 members that attend the mosque. Omar Mateen sometimes attended Friday prayers but didn’t socialise with others.

Mr Mascara said there was no initial indication of any such statements though he said more interviews would be conducted in the investigation.