Syed Rayad was driving to Houston, Texas when his vehicle was firebombed. He noticed two men in purple and decided to roll down his window. The men decided to throw something in car, and it immediately caught on fire.
The men laughed after they threw the explosive into his car. Syed Ryad stated that he panicked when he realized his car was on fire. He knew that he had to escape the car quickly.
Mustafaa Caroll is the executive director of the Houston chapter of the American-Islamic Relations. He stated that the incident appears to be a hate crime. However, in order for an incident to be classified as a hate crime, someone has to say something derogatory to the other person. Caroll fears that if the men are not punished for the crimes, then these acts will continue.
Syed suffered severe burns to his neck, arms and face. He stated that he plans to file a police report. He does not know who lit his car on fire. There is a video online that shows Syed’s car catching on fire. It is shocking and disturbing to watch. The video also shows the extent of the injuries that Syed suffered.