Cops are looking for the arsonist behind a fire spree last weekend in which he torched an NYPD vehicle near City Hall and set debris ablaze near a sleeping passenger on board a Queens subway train.
The NYPD released on Wednesday afternoon images of the suspect behind the spree, which began in Lower Manhattan early on Jan. 10 at about 2:20 a.m. in front of the seat of New York City’s government, at 254 Broadway.
Police reported that the suspect approached a marked NYPD vehicle parked at the location and set it on fire. No visible damage resulted, authorities said.
Roughly 15 minutes later, cops said, the firebug set ablaze an unoccupied car parked in front of 14 Murray St., just down the block from City Hall.
Law enforcement sources said the perpetrator then walked over to the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall Station 10 minutes later, at 2:55 a.m. on Jan. 10, where he set a paper cup on fire and threw it into a nearby garbage can.
During the investigation, police learned that the suspect entered the subway system and took the J train into Queens. At about 3:40 a.m. that morning, cops said, he set fire to a pile of garbage near a sleeping passenger while on board a Jamaica Center-bound J train as it stopped at the Woodhaven Boulevard station.
Video footage that the NYPD released Wednesday shows the suspect moving debris next to the sleeping individual, in the view of two other passengers, seconds before it burst into flames. The firebug then moved to exit the train car as the individual slept.
From there, cops said, he got off the train and fled in an unknown direction.
The Manhattan incidents were reported to the 1st Precinct, while the Queens incident happened in the confines of the 102nd Precinct. No serious injuries were reported in connection with the arson spree.
Following an investigation, police turned the case over to the NYPD Arson and Explosion Unit for further examination.
The arson incident comes weeks after the shocking death of a woman who was burned alive while sleeping on board an F train stopped at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn on Dec. 22, 2024. A suspect in that case was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The incident led to outrage over the perception of public safety in the subways and the lack of intervention in stopping the crime.
Police described the firebug behind the Jan. 10 arson spree as a man wearing a black ski mask, a black bubble jacket, black pants and black sneakers.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
