Sleeping Homeless Man Burned in Brutal Penn Station Attack: 2 Suspects Held Without Bail

A violent attack near the busy transit hub of New York Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan has raised concerns about the safety of homeless people sleeping in public spaces after a man was deliberately set on fire.

On Tuesday, police searched for two men suspected of involvement in setting a 37-year-old man, believed to be homeless, on fire on Monday evening while he was asleep. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) earlier reported seeing three men approaching the homeless man and igniting his clothing. The individuals fled towards the Amtrak train station, per Associated Press.

Penn Station Attack: A Timeline​

The New York City Police Department investigators said that the attack occurred at approximately 8:40 p.m. on Monday, 2 March 2026, near the corner of West 31st Street and Eighth Avenue.

Reports say the homeless man was sleeping on the sidewalk when three men approached him and set him ablaze before fleeing towards the nearby station.

​Police said emergency crews doused the flames and brought the man to Weill Cornell Medical Center where he was declared in stable condition, with no life-threatening burns, per The New York Post. No arrests were made on the scene during the investigation.

By Wednesday morning, authorities said two of the three suspects were apprehended by the NYPD after surveillance footage was reviewed.​

According to the police, Damon Johnson from Brooklyn, who had prior arrests racking up to a total of 88, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with assault, attempted murder, and reckless endangerment, per an NYP report. He was allegedly seen on the surveillance footage near the victim just moments before the attack happened.

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Cal Mullan said Johnson was 'crouching' beside the victim before leaving. 'Moments later, the victim begins wailing ... and scrambling to his feet with his jacket on fire. The fire was put out by bystanders and responding police officers,' Mullan said. The prosecutor also said Johnson was arrested in the same jacket he was wearing in the video and had two lighters on him.​

Another suspect, a 33-year-old man from Queens named Lyla Najjar, was arrested on Wednesday morning. He is facing an assault charge, according to the same report. Authorities say a third individual may be involved.​

Incident Sparks Safety Concerns for Homeless Residents

​The Associated Press noted that the Penn Station attack is the most recent in a series of incidents where individuals have been set on fire in public transit nationwide.

​Between November and December of 2025, at least three cases of setting people on fire on public transit across the United States.

​Advocates and community members have raised concerns that major stations like Penn Station, the Chicago Blue Line, and subway trains in New York are highly visible yet unprotected spaces, leaving the homeless at risk of targeted violence.

​Investigation Continues

​Authorities were able to determine that one of the suspects, 47-year-old Damon Johnson, was arrested last year for possession of a controlled substance and in September of 2024 for a violent altercation, according to the police. He had also been arrested in the past for petit larceny, theft of service, forcible touching, and drug use.

​Police described the third person involved as wearing all black with a backpack, also black. As this suspect remains at large, authorities are urging the public to provide tips to Crime Stoppers or via the NYPD's tip line as detectives pursue leads. A motive has yet to be established.