Early Sunday morning, a man sleeping in his car in Green Meadows was the victim of a brutal arson attack. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. in the 400 block of East 102nd Street.
An unidentified suspect reportedly approached the victim’s car and threw a flammable liquid inside, igniting the vehicle with the man still inside. Video footage from the scene shows the car completely enveloped in flames. By the time firefighters extinguished the blaze, only charred metal fragments remained of the vehicle.
Police have yet to identify the victim but have stated that he was experiencing homelessness and was using his vehicle for shelter at the time of the attack. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where his condition was initially listed as stable but later downgraded to critical.
A local convenience store owner indicated to KTLA 5’s Annie Rose Ramos that the car had been parked in the same spot for nearly a month, but they had never interacted with its owner. As of Sunday morning, the pavement where the car was set on fire still bore severe damage.
No description of the suspect has been released as the LAPD continues their investigation. This horrific crime serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by the homeless community, emphasizing the need for improved safety measures and supportive resources.