A vagrant with a history of setting fires attacked a group of innocent subway riders, this time leaving a 23-year-old man with severe burns. It’s a story that’s becoming all too familiar to New Yorkers, and it’s got us asking: when will the madness end?
The latest firebug, 49-year-old Nile Taylor, was apparently behind a similar attack back in February, but managed to evade capture until this weekend. That’s when he allegedly hurled flaming liquid at Petrit Alijaj, who bravely shielded his fiancee from the flames, suffering burns on 30% of his body in the process.
Cops were able to nab Taylor thanks to a stolen cell phone he grabbed from the subway platform, but it’s little consolation to the victims of his twisted crimes. And it’s not just Taylor — in March, another vagrant was caught setting a garbage bag on fire in a subway car, even torching his own shoes in the process.
It’s clear that our city’s subway system has become a hotbed for vagrant crime, and it’s time for our leaders to step up and do something about it. We need more cops on the trains, tougher penalties for repeat offenders, and better mental health services for the homeless.
Because the sad truth is, until we get serious about tackling this problem head-on, we’re going to keep seeing innocent New Yorkers getting hurt – or worse. And that’s a reality none of us should be willing to accept.
