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A video captured Monday morning shows a man throwing a firework at a sleeping homeless person in Harlem.
Thugs throw fireworks at a sleeping homeless man in Harlem. This needs to end. Will Bill de Blasio act? pic.twitter.com/yUjA0EeTwx
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 22, 2020
The homeless person, who turned out to be a 66-year-old man, suffered minor burns and was taken to the hospital, Detective Reyes of the NYPD told the Daily Caller. No arrests have been made and the case is still under investigation.(RELATED: ‘If We Can’t Sleep You Won’t Sleep’: Hundreds Protest Outside Gracie Mansion After Firework Complaints Soar)
Reyes told the Caller that police received a call at 4 a.m. on Monday about an individual who needed assistance at 62 Lenox Avenue in Harlem. The video of the incident, released Monday night, shows a man lighting a firework and then throwing it at the homeless man who is wrapped in a blanket. The homeless man appears to try to get up before the firework explodes right next to him. Reyes said that detectives are aware of the video posted to social media.
The video comes after fireworks have driven New York City residents to their breaking point, hundreds gathering outside of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s home late Monday night to protest. Tuesday morning, de Blasio announced the creation of a task force to combat the firework displays.
Sunday night in Brooklyn. Since there are anyway nice fireworks shows why not set up a party? pic.twitter.com/ohmXdoR2bq
— Yossi Gestetner (@YossiGestetner) June 22, 2020
New York City 911 call centers received 13,315 calls for illegal fireworks this year, with 12,578 of those calls happening in the month of June, reported the NY Daily News. The city’s 311 call centers have also received 11,535 calls for illegal fireworks this year, 4,559 of those calls coming from Brooklyn.
From January 1, 2019 to June 21, 2019 only 1,007 calls were made to 911 about illegal fireworks and 311 only received 54 calls, per the NY Daily News.