PENSACOLA, Fla. — A man was lit on fire with lighter fluid and robbed outside of a gas station Tuesday on the Florida Panhandle, authorities said.
According to the Pensacola Police Department, the man, who was listed as a transient, was resting at a Circle K convenience store/gasoline station at about 2 a.m. CDT, WEAR-TV reported.
According to police, the man was approached by another man, who grabbed lighter fluid, sprayed it on the victim and then lit him on fire, the television station reported. The assailant then robbed the victim.
#BREAKING: A man was taken to the hospital after being burned. It happened near the Walgreens on the corner of Pace Boulevard and Cervantes Street in Pensacola. @weartv is at the scene and is working to bring you more information. Stay with @weartv for further updates. pic.twitter.com/cDiFhxVqL2
— AlShowersWEAR-TV (@WEARTV_Showers) May 18, 2021
The victim was found several hours later resting on a bench, badly burned, WEAR reported. Authorities called 911 and the man was treated for his burns, the television station reported.
The victim is in stable condition, Pensacola Police Department spokesperson Mike Wood said.
“We’ve seen violence against homeless or transients before, but it’s usually by other homeless people,” Wood told WEAR. “To pour lighter fluid on someone, set them on fire and then tell them to hand over the money is kind of odd and very violent.”
Investigators are now looking for surveillance video that may have captured the attack, the newspaper reported.
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