Man set on fire in Times Square, suspect sought by NYPD
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- The NYPD is searching for a suspect who set a man on fire in Times Square Sunday morning.
The motive behind this attack remains unknown but police believe the victim and the attacker knew each other.
Badiwu Abubakar has been selling NYC tours at the corner of 41st Street and 7th Avenue for eight years. This is where police say a 45-year-old man was set on fire early Sunday morning.
“It happened here, right at my corner, where I work, I am here every day. It got me scared,” said Abubakar, adding authorities have blocked this section of Times Square since he began his shift at 7 in the morning.
According to authorities, it was around 3:53 in the morning that a male suspect wearing blue clothing poured flammable liquid onto the victim and then set him up on fire.
“It’s a tragedy to hear that happen. He is not far from my age. I’ll be 44 in June, but it is a shame,” said Joseph Robles.
PIX11 News has learned from police sources that some officers happened to be around the area following the arson attack. When they saw the man burning, they rushed to get a fire extinguisher from the trunk of their patrolling vehicle and were able to remove the flames from the man’s body. EMS and firefighters then came and took the victim to the hospital. He suffered burns to his face and arms but is expected to survive.
“Thank God he is alive,” stated Robles.
“I heard that happened on the subway. Someone lit a woman on fire while she was sleeping,” said Dylan Lewis.
She is referring to 57-year-old Debrina Kawam who was set on fire and burned to death on Dec. 22, while she was sleeping on a Coney Island F train. 33-year-old Sebastian Zapata was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree murder and arson in connection with her death.
As far as Sunday’s incident, authorities have been looking for evidence all afternoon hoping to track down the perpetrator.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).