Law enforcement officials are asking for the public’s help to identify a man they say lit another man on fire near the U.S. Capitol in broad daylight.
The heinous incident unfolded on Monday at about 3:05 p.m. at the intersection of North Capitol Street and P Street Northwest, about a mile away from the U.S. Capitol building.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division said that the victim was sitting at a bus stop when another approached him and doused him with a liquid.
“The suspect then ignited the liquid,” investigators said. “The suspect then ran off.”
The victim sustained serious injuries and was treated at a local hospital.
Police have not said whether the victim knew the suspect nor have they said what the man’s motivation might have been. Neither of their identities have been released.
An image of the suspect was released by police showing him walking with what appears to be a glass jar in his hand.
“The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a violent crime committed in the District of Columbia,” said police.
Washington, D.C., is one of the most crime-ridden areas of the U.S., according to official statistics released recently. The Metropolitan Police Department said that violent crime had increased by 39% in 2023. Property crime had also risen by 24%.
D.C. had also documented 274 killings in 2023, which was the highest murder rate since 1997. That also means D.C. has the fifth-highest murder rate among larger cities in the U.S.
The D.C. Council is considering passing a set of public safety regulations intended to address the spiraling crime problem, but critics say they are merely doubling down on policies that have already failed.
Here’s a news report about the incident:
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