Another 'Random Arson Attack' in the Heart of New York... American Society 'Startled'

Suspect Sets Victim on Fire and Flees
Fortunately, Victim's Life Not in Danger

In a street near Times Square in New York, USA, an unidentified suspect poured liquid on a man and set him on fire. On the 16th, Yonhap News, citing local media such as ABC New York, reported that at around 3:55 a.m., the New York Police Department received a report of a man engulfed in flames at the intersection of 41st Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan and dispatched officers to the scene.

Earlier, a similar incident occurred in New York last December, shocking the public. At that time, a woman who was dozing off inside a subway car was killed on the spot in an arson attack. The suspect in this case, Sebastian Zapeta from Guatemala, was apprehended by the police on the day of the incident and brought to trial. Additionally, at the end of last year, a man in his 20s pushed a person onto the tracks just as a train was entering a subway station in New York, then fled but was later arrested. Reuters·Yonhap News

The police found the man on fire and immediately extinguished the flames with a fire extinguisher. The victim was identified as a 45-year-old man. He was transported to a nearby hospital with burns on his face and arms, and fortunately, his life was not in danger. The victim stated that the suspect approached him, poured an unknown liquid on him, and then set him on fire. The police revealed that the suspect was wearing blue clothing but did not disclose further details. The intersection of 41st Street and Broadway, where the incident occurred, is a bustling area just one block away from Times Square, frequently visited by tourists visiting New York.

Earlier, a similar incident shocked citizens in New York last December. At that time, a woman who was dozing off in a subway car died on the spot due to arson. The suspect, Sebastian Zapeta, originally from Guatemala, was apprehended by the police on the day of the incident and brought to trial. It was revealed that the suspect had no prior acquaintance with the woman, making it an 'unmotivated crime' (commonly known as a random attack), which shocked American society. In addition to this case, at the end of last year, a man in his 20s pushed a person onto the tracks just as a train was entering a subway station in New York and fled but was later arrested.

According to research by the Columbia University Law School research group 'Vital City,' there were 573 serious crimes in the subway last year, the highest since 1997, and subway murders totaled 10 cases, doubling compared to the previous year. Bloomberg News evaluated, "Despite numerous countermeasures, last year was the most dangerous year for subway passengers in decades." At that time, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams increased police deployment in subway stations and even mobilized the National Guard to ensure public transportation safety, but these efforts were deemed largely ineffective.

"Due to mental illness and inability to control anger," unrelenting unmotivated crimes

Meanwhile, in South Korea, 'unmotivated crimes' where perpetrators suddenly wield weapons against strangers are occurring repeatedly. Cases such as the stabbing incident at Seohyeon Station in Bundang, the rape and murder on the Gwanaksan hiking trail, and the Jeong Yoo-jeong murder case involve 'unmotivated crimes' targeting unspecified individuals without particular motives. Unlike typical violent crimes arising from conflicts such as grudges or financial reasons, these crimes are unpredictable and impossible to prepare for, which can result in more severe damage once they occur.

After a series of stabbing incidents occurred consecutively in Sillim-dong, Seoul, and Seohyeon Station in Bundang last July and August, similar crimes have continued to happen, raising calls for effective measures to prevent recurrence. Photo by Heo Young-han

Among these, even after a series of stabbing rampages occurred in Sillim-dong, Seoul, and Seohyeon Station, Bundang, in July and August last year, similar crimes have continued, prompting calls for effective measures to prevent recurrence. Especially if such crimes occur in crowded public facilities, there is concern that they could lead to large-scale casualties, as in the 'Bundang stabbing rampage' incident around August 2023, where two people died and twelve were injured. Experts suggest that the patterns of unmotivated crimes should be closely analyzed case by case and actively used to devise measures to prevent recurrence.