Police on Saturday arrested a man after a 23-year-old was set on fire on a New York City subway.
New York police then realized they had been looking for him for weeks.
Nile Taylor, 49, was arrested not long after the Saturday afternoon incident, according to WABC-TV.
Taylor was charged with assault, arson, and reckless engagement. He is also charged with petty larceny and criminal possession of a weapon.
While Taylor was in custody, police realized they had been looking for the suspect in a similar incident that took place on Feb. 5, according to the New York Post.
Maniac who set NYC straphanger on fire was behind earlier similar incident: cops https://t.co/Dx1YuIHrDH pic.twitter.com/h2RcqQQ2Rx
— New York Post (@nypost) May 26, 2024
The February incident took place at the West 28th Street subway station.
Video shows a man police had identified as Taylor holding two cans of burning liquid. The cans were thrown at people at the station, but no one was hurt.
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Taylor faces assault, arson, reckless endangerment and weapons possession in the February incident
On Saturday, Petrit Alijaj was riding the No. 1 train when “a maniac like put fire on my body, and he left the train,” he told WABC.
The suspect said nothing but gave Alijaj what the victim said was a weird look.
“He had a cup with the fire and the train stopped at Houston Street. We thought when he go for the door, we thought he’s leaving, he’s getting off. He waited for the door to open and then he put the fire on me,” Alijaj said.
The suspect then left the train.
🚨🇺🇸 MAN SET ON FIRE ON NYC SUBWAY
The assailant, identified as Nile Taylor, set a train passenger on fire by hurling a flaming cup of liquid at him. The attack took place on the 1 train approaching the Houston Street station.
The victim, a 23-year-old man, suffered burns to… pic.twitter.com/k3k2ErbiH4
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 25, 2024
Alijaj said he blocked the flames from hitting his fiancée.
“I protect my fiancee with my body,” he said.
“The doctors said 30 percent of my body was burnt. But I don’t think it is 30 percent. Maybe more like 10 percent,” he said.
Police have not released any information about the suspect’s motive, according to CNN.
