17-03-2025
‘It got me scared': New Yorkers react to man set on fire in Times Square
TIMES SQUARE, Manhattan (PIX11) – New Yorkers were immediately alarmed when a man was set on fire in Times Square on Sunday, leaving him with burns all over his body.
It happened near 41st Street and 7th Avenue around 4 a.m., according to authorities. The suspect was accused of walking up to the 45-year-old victim, dousing him with liquid and setting him alight, police said.
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'It happened here, right at my corner, where I work, I am here every day. It got me scared,' Badiwu Abubakar, who works in the area, told PIX11 News.
Police officers working the New York City Half Marathon had seen the victim on fire and moved immediately to help, sources said. They grabbed a fire extinguisher and put the blaze out, according to sources.
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'That's a tragedy to hear that happen, that's not far from my age… I'll be 44 in June… but it was a shame,' Joseph Robles, who lives in New York City, told PIX11 News.
The NYPD believes the suspect and the victim knew each other. Police did not reveal a motive for the attack.
The victim is in critical condition but expected to survive, sources said.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting 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).
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
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