A still-unidentified attacker remains at large after dousing a stranger with a scalding liquid outside an East Harlem eatery, leaving the victim with severe burns to his face and neck.
The 44-year-old victim, who told police he did not know his assailant, was standing in front of Cravin Crispy on Park Avenue near East 116th Street around 8:45 p.m. Monday when the assault occurred. He had been waiting to pick up a takeout order, occupied with his phone and facing the restaurant, when the man approached him from behind without warning.
Video New York captured the moment the attacker, carrying what appeared to be a steaming thermos, suddenly dumped the burning substance onto the unsuspecting victim. The attacker then fled north on Park Avenue, authorities said.
First responders transported the victim to Harlem Hospital, where he is listed in stable condition. The unprovoked attack left him with blistering burns across his face and neck, according to police.
The NYPD released a surveillance image Tuesday showing the wanted man sporting a goatee, a beanie, a black jacket over a gray sweatshirt, black pants and white sneakers. The image was distributed as investigators continue searching for the suspect.
Police have asked anyone with information about the attack to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish speakers, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website or via X at @NYPDTips.
The incident unfolded in a bustling stretch of East Harlem where the Cravin Crispy restaurant draws evening foot traffic. The victim’s decision to stop for takeout turned violent in seconds, with no interaction or apparent motive preceding the attack.
Authorities have not identified the specific liquid used in the assault, describing it only as an unknown hot substance. The thermos-like container carried by the assailant suggests premeditation, though police have not characterized the attack as planned versus opportunistic.
The case joins a pattern of random street violence that has periodically gripped New York City neighborhoods, though police statistics on comparable liquid assaults were not immediately available. The severity of the burns and the deliberate nature of the attack have elevated concern among local residents.
The victim’s condition at Harlem Hospital was described as stable, though the long-term effects of the facial and neck burns remain unclear. Medical personnel typically assess such injuries for both tissue damage and potential scarring in burn cases involving the head and neck region.