Homeless Man Sets Customer On Fire In Parking Lot

Homeless Man Sets Customer On Fire In Parking Lot

via Beachcomber

A California man is currently hospitalized in critical condition after a homeless man set him on fire for reportedly refusing to give him money.

A 38-year-old black homeless man – Raymond Sean Clark – was in police custody Friday night after tossing a flammable substance onto another black male as he sat in his car outside the 7-Eleven store at Pacific Coast Highway and Clark Avenue in Long Beach.

The incident occurred as Beachcomber Publisher Jay Beeler was exiting his nearby offices, observed the black smoke and videotaped the inferno, which was shared with multiple news media outlets nationwide.

The 63-year-old victim – whose name is being withheld by the LBPD for inexcusable censorship reasons – was sitting in his Toyota 4-Runner at the time and is believed to have declined the transient’s request for money.

He suffered third degree burns to his chest and face with his orange T-shirt burned off his body; he was taken to a local hospital by paramedics.

KCBS-TV late Saturday identified the victim as Jerry Arnold Payne, whose fiance happened upon the crime scene afterward and recognized his car.

Payne is currently being treated at Torrance Memorial Hospital, which specializes in treating burn patients. His condition is described as critical.

Witness Robert Linkroum of Long Beach said that he went into the store to purchase a newspaper and saw the suspect toss something into the car window and it immediately burst into flames, trapping Linkroum and other patrons inside the 7-Eleven as flames engulfed the store’s front entrance.

The clerk eventually found a key that allowed them to escape out a back door.

Clark is being held on a $502,200 bail under charges of attempted murder and two misdemeanor failure to appear warrants.

SMH. Hopefully this man will be able to make a full recovery.

Photo Credit: Beach Comber