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A violent fight between homeless people in the Botafogo neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, culminated in an attempted murder when one of the people involved tried to set fire to two of his companions.
Witnesses interviewed by the newspaper O Globo said that the conflict began hours earlier with an exchange of insults and blows between the group.
“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 footage shows two men sitting on the ground at 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 escape, while the other escaped with his dog, albeit with the sleeve of his shirt on fire.
Em Botafogo, Zona Sul do Rio de Janeiro, um homem tentou atear fogo em homens em situação de rua. As cenas, no fim de semana, foram registradas por câmeras de segurança. A polícia investiga o caso.
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Hours later, at around 1:38 a.m., the attacker returned to the scene and again attempted 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 video’s dissemination on social media sparked controversy, giving rise to speculation that the attacker could be a resident upset by the presence of homeless people.
However, a local merchant rejected this version and expressed fear of the threats he received after false reports that a security guard was the perpetrator of the crime.
Police confirmed that the attack was due to a conflict over 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 is still investigating the case.
