Nightmare in neon: Man set ablaze in Times Square in horrific attack

A troubling event disrupted the early morning hours in New York’s Times Square, where a man was deliberately set on fire by a suspect in a shocking attack. The incident, which unfolded just before dawn today (Monday), has prompted a police investigation and left the victim hospitalized with serious injuries. Authorities say the two men knew each other, adding a layer of intrigue to an already unsettling case.

The attack took place around 4 a.m. at the intersection of West 41st Street and Broadway, a busy corner in Manhattan’s iconic Times Square. According to police, the suspect obtained fuel from a nearby food stand, stored it in a glass bottle, and used it to carry out the assault. He threw the flammable liquid onto the 45-year-old victim and ignited it with a lighter, causing flames to erupt.

The victim suffered severe burns to his arms and face. Witnesses reported that he ran approximately 30 meters down the street as the fire consumed him, until a passerby grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the flames. Emergency responders arrived quickly, transporting the injured man to a hospital. Medical officials say he’s in stable condition, though his recovery will take time. Social media footage later showed him standing on the sidewalk, wrapped in a blanket, as the scene unfolded behind him.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) has identified the suspect and is actively searching for him. “His identity is known to us,” an NYPD spokesperson said, “and we’re working to apprehend him.” Investigators confirmed that the victim and the attacker were acquainted, though the reason for the assault remains unclear. They’re still determining whether it was a planned act or a spontaneous outburst.

The fuel, sourced from a food vendor in the area, was a key element in the attack. Police described how the suspect kept it in a bottle until the moment he struck, tossing it onto the victim before lighting it. The food stand itself wasn’t involved beyond providing the material, and authorities are reviewing security camera footage from the heavily monitored square to trace the suspect’s movements.

For now, the victim remains under medical care, spared a worse fate by the quick actions of the bystander who intervened. The suspect, meanwhile, is still at large, and the NYPD is urging anyone with information to come forward. The investigation continues as authorities work to bring clarity—and justice—to a case that has shaken one of the world’s most famous public spaces.