A 54-year-old man was waiting outside a grocery store for his father to finish getting his groceries. As he was sitting outside the store entrance minding his own business, a man came out from an alley and through a Molotov cocktail at him. The goal of Molotov cocktails is to set the target on fire and they are relatively easy to assemble. This improvised weapon is made out of a glass bottle, a flammable liquid, and a wick soaked in alcohol or kerosene. The wick is lit on fire and thrown at the target. When it hits the target, the glass bottle breaks and the flammable material inside catches on fire.
When the surveillance footage in this particular incident was examined, it can be seen that the victim was engulfed in flames after the Molotov cocktail was thrown at him. An eyewitness stated that the victim’s clothing on the lower part of his body had been burned away and his skin was boiling. The surveillance footage also showed a baby stroller next to the flames appeared to catch on fire before being snatched out of the way.
Authorities have stated that what makes this case so serious is that there seemed to be no motive. The victim was minding his own business when he was attacked. Although he is stable, he is in a critical condition and has suffered from serious burns on his lower body. If he is caught, the suspect could be charged with battery. Battery is defined as any “willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another.” Depending on the seriousness of the attack, the suspect could be facing serious penalties. If you have more questions about battery and related charges, feel free to contact our team at Martinian & Associates Inc.
