FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Investigators said they’ve made an arrest in connection with the fire at the mosque where Pulse shooter Omar Mateen prayed a few times before carrying out the mass shooting that killed 49 people.
The fire at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce started late Sunday and burned for more than five hours before it was extinguished early Monday.
Joseph Schreiber was arrested Wednesday.
He's facing hate crime and arson charges, deputies said.
Schreiber had anti-Muslim content on his computer and social media accounts, deputies said.
Multiple tips led deputies to Schreiber's home.
The fire was started on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the start of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.
Photos: Arson investigation underway at mosque
Given the timing of the blaze, investigators believe it may have been a hate crime, St. Lucie County sheriff's spokesman Maj. David Thompson said.
No one was injured in the fire.
Surveillance video from the mosque showed a man on a Harley-Davidson-type motorcycle approaching the building with a bottle of liquid and some papers, then leaving when there was a flash and shaking his hand as though he may have burned it, Thompson said.
Raw: Surveillance video of man leaving scene
The first 911 calls were made about 45 minutes later, after the fire had spread to the attic. It took about 4 1/2 hours for firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
FBI agents said although the suspect is in custody, the investigation is ongoing.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Officials release surveillance video of fire at mosque attended by Pulse nightclub shooter
Updated: ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. - The Islamic Center of Fort Pierce, where Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen attended before his death, caught fire overnight, and authorities say they are investigating the incident as arson. The fire was reported at about 12:31 a.m.
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