A maniac randomly tossed a scalding hot mystery liquid at a stranger outside an East Harlem restaurant that left him severely burned, cops said.
The brute – carrying what appears to be a steaming thermos – approached the 44-year-old victim from behind and hurled the unknown substance at him while he stood in front of the Cravin Crispy restaurant on Park Avenue near East 116th Street around 8:45 p.m. Monday, police said.
Video obtained by NBC New York shows the victim occupied on his phone, facing the eatery, when the fiend approached him without warning and dumped the burning brew on him.
The victim was waiting to pickup a takeout order from the restaurant, the outlet reported.
The unprovoked assault left the man – who claimed he didn’t know his attacker – with blistering burns on his face and neck, cops said.
The brazen attacker then took off, heading north on Park Avenue, authorities said.
First responders brought the victim to Harlem Hospital, where he is listed in stable condition.
Police released a surveillance image Tuesday of the still-at-large goateed assailant, seen sporting a beanie, black jacket over a gray sweatshirt, black pants and white sneakers.
Anyone with information on the attack is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips.
