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Man Sleeping On River North Sidewalk Set On Fire By Attacker, Police Say

The 75-year-old victim experienced burns to nearly half his body and was hospitalized in critical condition.

A sign for Wabash Avenue.
Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
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CHICAGO — A man set a person experiencing homelessness on fire early Wednesday on the Near North Side.

About 2:50 a.m., the victim, a 75-year-old man, was laying on the ground in the 400 block of lower North Wabash Avenue when a man came up to him and poured a flammable liquid on him, police said. The man lit the victim on fire and ran away.

A nearby security guard used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire and help the victim, police said.

Nearly half of the victim’s body was burned. He was taken to Northwestern Hospital in critical condition, police said.

No one was in custody. An investigation was ongoing.

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