NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police said Sunday that a man lit a cup filled with liquid on fire and threw it at a subway passenger, injuring the victim when his shirt caught fire.
Manhattan police said the attack happened on Saturday afternoon on a Manhattan 1 train and that a suspect was in custody on various charges. Authorities also charged the man in connection with a similar arson attack on a subway train in February.
Saturday’s victim, a 23-year-old man, was recovering in hospital. He said: New York Post He said his shirt caught fire when he tried to protect his fiancée and cousin from the burning liquid. He said he slapped himself to put out the fire. Doctors said he was burned over about a third of his body.
“He had a cup,” the victim told The Post, “started a fire and threw it all out.”
Violent crime is rare The city’s subway, which carries around three million passengers a day, has seen several high-profile attacks this year that have left some passengers feeling uneasy. Pushed into the tracks In March, several shootings occurred in East Harlem.
Authorities said the suspect in Saturday’s assault, Niall Taylor, 49, was arrested shortly after the incident after police tracked down a cellphone he allegedly had stolen from another subway rider. He was charged with assault, arson, unlawful possession of a weapon and several other offenses.
It was not immediately clear whether Taylor had an attorney to answer the charges or when he might be called back to court.
Authorities also announced Sunday afternoon that Taylor was charged with attempted assault, endangerment and arson in the February attack. Police said the suspect threw a container of flaming liquid at a group of people on the subway platform at the West 28th Street station. No one was injured.
Governor Kathy Hockle said in March: Hundreds of National Guard troops City police said they would be taking to the subway to beef up security. 800 more police officers They will be deployed on subways to crack down on fare evasion.
