Suspect sought for setting man ablaze near Times Square

NEW YORK — Authorities in New York City are actively searching for an individual accused of setting a man ablaze near Times Square early Sunday morning. This incident took place shortly before 4 a.m. close to the intersection of West 41st Street and 7th Avenue.
Police officers arrived at the scene and found a 45-year-old man engulfed in flames. They managed to extinguish the fire and promptly transported the victim to a nearby hospital, where he is reported to be in stable condition.
Investigators suspect that the victim is acquainted with the person who set him on fire. However, they have not disclosed the victim’s identity and are withholding further details as the investigation continues.
Visual evidence from the scene includes videos and images depicting the victim walking along the sidewalk without a shirt, accompanied by firefighters who helped extinguish the flames. Subsequent footage captured the man receiving medical attention in an ambulance, showcasing burns on his face, neck, chest, and arms.
This incident bears a striking resemblance to a case from December, in which Debrina Kawam, a 57-year-old New Jersey resident, tragically lost her life after a similar attack in a New York subway train. In December, Sebastian Zapeta, aged 33, was charged with murder and arson, though he pleaded not guilty in the killing that occurred on December 22.
According to prosecutors, Zapeta allegedly set Kawam on fire while she was asleep aboard a train that had stopped at a station in Brooklyn’s Coney Island. He reportedly intensified the flames using a shirt and watched her burning from a nearby subway station bench.
Police continue to investigate the current case and are urging anyone with information to come forward to aid in apprehending the responsible individual. As this investigation is ongoing, further updates will be provided as they become available.