Indian-origin owner's store closed after arson attack in USA

The man pushed a dumpster in front of the Met Mart store in Port St. Lucie and set the contents on fire.

NT police will conduct another search for Richard Roe, who has been missing since late last year. (AAP) Source: AAP

A 64-year-old American man in Florida tried to set a convenience store on fire.

CNN reports that the man thought the owners were Muslim.

St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara says that Richard Lloyd told deputies he wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country."

So, the man pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St. Lucie store and set the contents on fire.

"It's unfortunate that Mr. Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," Sheriff Ken Mascara added.

The Sheriff said Lloyd's mental health will be evaluated.

Then the state attorney's office will decide if this was a hate crime or not.

The fire at the Met Mart was quickly put out on Friday morning.

It did not cause much damage. But the store was closed and protected by security shutters.

According to CNN affiliate WPEC, Lloyd told investigators he tried to buy a bottle of Tropicana orange pineapple juice at the store a few days ago.

But was told they didn't have any and so he was upset.

Lloyd also told investigators that he planned to burn the building because he "was doing his part for America," WPEC reports.

Lloyd was charged with first-degree arson and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond.