NEW YORK — Authorities in New York City are actively pursuing a suspect in connection with a shocking incident in Times Square, where a man was set on fire early Sunday morning around 4 a.m. near the intersection of West 41st Street and 7th Avenue.
Responding officers arrived to find the 45-year-old victim engulfed in flames. They quickly extinguished the fire and transported him to a nearby hospital, where he is currently listed in stable condition.
Law enforcement officials have stated that the investigation is ongoing, but further details remain undisclosed at this time.
Footage from the scene reveals the victim walking shirtless down the sidewalk alongside firefighters after the flames had been quelled. Images captured during his ambulance transport show burns on his face, neck, chest, and arms.
This incident follows a previous tragedy where Debrina Kawam, 57, from New Jersey, died after being set ablaze on a New York subway train in December. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, has pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges related to that case, which remains a point of concern for public safety.
According to prosecutors, Kawam was set on fire while sleeping aboard a train at a Brooklyn station, with Zapeta allegedly fanning the flames with a shirt and observing from a nearby bench.
