Minneapolis police are investigating a potential hate crime after a person was struck by a car in a hit-and-run outside a mosque.
The incident occurred around 12:26 p.m. Wednesday at the Alhikma Islamic Center when a 36-year-old man was unloading his car in the parking lot. He tried to run away when a minivan started speeding toward him, but the driver swerved and hit him, knocking him off his feet.
The suspect fled the scene and the man, a staffer for the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Minnesota chapter, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police and the Muslim organization both suspect the attack, which was recorded by a surveillance camera, was a hate crime.
James Evan Suttles, 37, was arrested Wednesday night hours after the hit-and-run occurred, police said.
He reportedly has a history of harassing people, trespassing and acting erratically at the mosque.
“I am proud of the swift and strong response by members of the Minneapolis Police Department,” Chief Brian O’Hara said in a statement. “Within hours, this suspect was in custody, and that will help put our community at ease. This arrest is a testament to the hard work and determination of our officers and investigators.”
