A horrifying incident took place at Penn Station on Monday, where a pyromaniac goon set a sleeping homeless man on fire while his companions watched in ghoulish delight. The victim, a 37-year-old man, was targeted by the firebug who ignited his clothes as he lay unconscious in the Amtrak Rotunda of the transit hub on West 31st Street near Seventh Avenue around 8:40 p.m. Fortunately, first responders were able to quickly extinguish the flames, and the victim was rushed to Weill Cornell Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
The assailants fled the scene before authorities arrived, and as of Tuesday, no arrests have been made in connection with the heinous act. Descriptions of the suspects provided by police include one individual wearing a black jacket and blue jeans, another in a brown jacket with gray pants, and a third carrying a backpack.
This disturbing incident comes on the heels of a similar attack that occurred three months prior, where an 18-year-old allegedly set a sleeping 56-year-old homeless man on fire aboard a No. 3 train passing through 34th Street-Penn Station in December. The brutal attack left the victim severely burned, with authorities reportedly finding patches of skin on one of the train seats.
The homeless man targeted in this recent attack was hospitalized in stable condition, while the suspects responsible for the cruel act remain at large. The chilling nature of these crimes serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by those living on the streets, and the urgent need for greater protection and support for the homeless population.
