A 56-year-old homeless man suffered serious burns after a suspect set his pants ablaze at Penn Station early Monday morning. The alleged assault occurred around 3 a.m. when the victim was sleeping on a northbound 3 train as it pulled into the 34th Street–Penn Station stop in Midtown.
According to police, the suspect entered the train car, doused the victim's pants with an accelerant and then ignited them. The man fled the scene by boarding another northbound 3 train, but authorities are still investigating whether this is the same train he rode on initially.
First responders rushed the victim to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he received treatment for severe leg burns. Police are now searching for a suspect last seen wearing a gray jacket, black hat, and dark-colored clothing.
This incident echoes a similar case from nearly a year ago, when a 57-year-old homeless woman was set on fire aboard an F train in Brooklyn, resulting in her death. A suspect has since been charged with murder and arson, but the case remains ongoing as the defendant maintains his innocence.
If anyone has information about Monday's incident, police are urging them to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online through their website.
According to police, the suspect entered the train car, doused the victim's pants with an accelerant and then ignited them. The man fled the scene by boarding another northbound 3 train, but authorities are still investigating whether this is the same train he rode on initially.
First responders rushed the victim to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he received treatment for severe leg burns. Police are now searching for a suspect last seen wearing a gray jacket, black hat, and dark-colored clothing.
This incident echoes a similar case from nearly a year ago, when a 57-year-old homeless woman was set on fire aboard an F train in Brooklyn, resulting in her death. A suspect has since been charged with murder and arson, but the case remains ongoing as the defendant maintains his innocence.
If anyone has information about Monday's incident, police are urging them to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online through their website.
! I mean, who sets someone on fire at Penn Station? Like, what's going on with these people? It's so not okay to leave someone lying there and just walk away... that's just not right 
. Reminds me of that other incident last year, where some woman got set on fire on the F train in Brooklyn... it's like we're reliving a nightmare over here 
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. I wish people could see that what they're doing is causing harm and hurting others... 
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, I mean, who does such a thing? But then again, have you seen the state of homelessness in this city lately? Like, how can people afford to dress up fancy enough for a crime like this? It's either a very well-planned heist or someone just really needed a good excuse to get out of paying their subway fare 
. I'm not saying it's okay to set someone on fire, but maybe we should be talking about the root cause of homelessness and how we can better support people in need instead of always looking for easy villains 
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. But let's not focus on the negativity, okay? This guy suffered some serious burns but he's alive and receiving treatment 
. That's something to be grateful for, right? And can we please talk about how this incident highlights the need for increased support and resources for our homeless community? We need to make sure they have access to safe shelters, healthcare, and counseling services 
. It's time for us to come together and create a more compassionate society 
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. i mean, can't people just show some basic human kindness? it's not too much to ask for someone to be left alone in the morning. and now he's gotta deal with the trauma of getting set on fire... 
like what is wrong with people these days? and another homeless person, how many more have to go through this 
and make sure ppl like that are getting the help they need 
. It's heartbreaking, but let's be real, we all gotta ask ourselves if our actions reflect the values we want to live by 
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at Penn Station like what if he didn't make it? 
. I feel for the victim and his family, hope they get the help they need ASAP 
anyway, back to the homeless guy... what's up with the state of homelessness in NYC lately? seems like there are more people living on the streets than ever, and not enough resources being put towards solving the problem.
. Poor dude gets set on fire for no reason, and now he's gonna be dealing with those nasty burns forever 
and the fact that it's a repeat of something that already happened last year just makes my blood boil 
. also, isnt there like a homeless shelter or something where ppl can go 2 get some basic necessities? idk, just feelin kinda confused abt all this 
i mean dont get me wrong he did jus get set on fire but like can't we be more concerned bout the ppl makin life hard 4 him on da streets in da 1st place? 
. I feel so bad for the victim and his family, they must be going through some crazy stuff right now 
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it's just so sad when people are treated like this on our streets. homeless ppl deserve kindness & respect too 
the fact that this is a repeat of a similar incident last year is really disturbing too...it feels like we're not making progress in keeping our public spaces safe for everyone 
On a more serious note, it's crazy that this is happening to homeless people again. It feels like the system is just failing them at every turn. Anyway, if anyone knows anything about the suspect, hit 'em up with Crime Stoppers, no need to be shy, dude! 