A 45-year-old man was set on fire in Times Square early Sunday morning by an attacker who is still on the loose, according to the NYPD.
Police officials said officers responded to a call at 3:57 a.m. about a man on fire at West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue, in the heart of the busy tourist district. The NYPD said the attacker set the man, later identified as Mark Whyte, ablaze after a dispute before fleeing.
Officials also said the two men knew each other, according to statements captured on body camera footage.
Video posted to social media shows the victim in an ambulance with visible burns on his body, neck and face. He was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Cornell Hospital and is in stable condition, police said.
Jonas Young-Borra said he knows Whyte from the nightlife scene. He was on his way home from an event early Sunday morning when he saw Whyte on fire — and said he only realized afterwards who it was.
“He’s a very nice guy. Nobody deserves this,” Young-Borra told Gothamist on Monday. “Random violence in NYC needs to end.”
Police had announced no arrests in the case by late Monday morning. and the incident remained under investigation.
This story is based on preliminary information from police and has been updated with additional details.
