Elderly man, 79, set on fire in Honolulu Chinatown

Carl Samson

April 13, 2022 at 2:04 PM·1 min read

Warning: This article contains mentions of a person who was severely burned after being set on fire.

Police are searching for a suspect accused of setting an elderly man on fire in Honolulu’s Chinatown on Tuesday morning.

The attack, which was captured by a surveillance camera, occurred at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza in the 100 block of N. Beretania Street at around 8 a.m.

Honolulu police are searching for a suspect who allegedly set an elderly man on fire in Chinatown on Tuesday morning. The horrific attack happened about 8 a.m. and left the victim seriously injured. #HNN pic.twitter.com/PVfUD7Ddrt

— Hawaii News Now (@HawaiiNewsNow) April 13, 2022

Surveillance footage of the incident shows the suspect trailing the 79-year-old victim before using what appears to be a lighter to set his shirt ablaze.

A bystander reportedly appeared and helped extinguish the flames. Honolulu firefighters and Emergency Medical Services arrived at the scene afterward.

Image: Chinatown Cultural Plaza

The victim reportedly suffered first- and second-degree burns to his back and neck. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

According to reports, the suspect is homeless and fled the scene on foot. He wore a T-shirt, jeans and a blue beanie. The authorities have stated that he remains at large, and the incident is being investigated as a first-degree assault.

Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to contact Crime Stoppers Honolulu at (808) 955-8300.

Feature Image via Chinatown Cultural Plaza