MANHATTAN, NY – An assailant initiated a horrific attack on a Manhattan subway on Saturday, setting a man on fire by tossing a cup of ignited liquid at him, causing burns on his chest and neck, as informed by the police. This is the second such occurrence in the past four months, and officials are investigating a possible link between the two incidents.
The assault took place as the No. 1 train was arriving at the Houston Street station. The culprit, identified as Nile Taylor, took this opportunity to escape as the train doors opened. As he fled the scene, he picked up a dropped phone which allowed law enforcement officers to track him down. Taylor was apprehended not far from the location, around Canal Street and Renwick Street.
The 23-year-old victim, although not critically injured, was treated for his burns at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Hospital.
Authorities are investigating whether Taylor, 49, is the same person responsible for a similar attack in February at the West 28th Street station on the No. 1 line.
Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD Sergeant, expressed concerns over the state of the city’s justice system, saying that this incident is an example of its decline.