A violent fight between homeless people in the Botafogo neighborhood, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, culminated in an attempted murder when one of those involved tried to set fire to two of his companions.
Witnesses interviewed by the newspaper O Globo point out that the conflict began hours before with an exchange of insults and blows between the group.
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“They were here before, one had already hit the other, they were cursing each other,” said a merchant whose business was affected by the fire on October 12.
Fights between homeless people in the area are common, especially at night, the witness added.
The images show two men sitting on the ground around 7:51 p.m. when the attacker approaches with a flammable liquid, apparently gasoline, and throws it on them, setting them on fire.
One of the victims managed to flee, while the other escaped with his dog, although with his shirt sleeve on fire.
Hours later, around 1:38 in the morning, the attacker returned to the scene and tried again to spray one of the men with flammable liquid.
The fire spread to a mattress used by the victims, who managed to put out the flames with the help of neighbors and bottles of water.
The dissemination of the video on social networks sparked controversy, generating hypotheses that the attacker could be a resident upset by the presence of people in the home.
However, a local merchant rejected this version and expressed fear over the threats received after it was falsely reported that a security guard was the perpetrator of the crime.
Police confirmed that the attack was due to a conflict involving a cell phone. One of the victims has already been questioned and the suspect has been identified, although he has not yet been arrested. The Botafogo police station continues to investigate the case.
In Botafogo, Zona Sul do Rio de Janeiro, a homem tried to keep fire in homens in a street situation. As dinners, not on weekends, foram recorded by security cameras. The police investigate the case.
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— GloboNoticias (@GloboNoticias) October 17, 2024