FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Family members have accused their landlord of spraying them with mace and calling a tow truck to take their cars away as they prepared for a funeral.

Elvis George lost his father, and witnesses said his family had to face discrimination during an already difficult time.

Images: Witnesses Accuse Man Of Using Racial Slurs

The family were gathered outside a funeral home in front of their apartment complex in the 1300 block of Northeast Fifth Avenue in Fort Lauderdale Wednesday when, they allege, their landlord snapped at all the people who had come together to mourn.

Witnesses said the landlord and his son used racial slurs.

"(He said) 'Go back to your ... country.' That's when I think it was discrimination," said Fred St. Amand, a witness.

"The landlord came out and said, 'You ... Haitians. I need to tow the car,'" a witness said.

"I encountered I believe it's the landlord's son, who was using racial slurs," said Sandra St. Amand, a witness.

Witnesses said the landlord called a tow truck to take all the vehicles away, and became so enraged he pulled out a can of mace and attacked, NBC 6's Martha Sugalski reported.

A 1-year-old boy caught in the crossfire was taken to a local hospital, Sugalski reported.

"He zapped the lady with the baby, and he zapped the baby's eyes," a witness said.

A couple of hours after the event, some of those involved said their eyes were still red and stinging.

"Its a shame to see that this is still going on in today's society. It's a shame and it has to be stopped," Sandra St. Amand said.

The Fort Lauderdale police came to the scene, but no police report was filed.

The family's attorney's called police back and have insisted on filing a police report, Sugalski reported. The attorneys said they intend to pursue the incident as a hate crime.

The 1-year-old is expected to be fine.