Thug sneaks up on man outside NYC eatery and dumps 'bubbling,' 'smoking' substance on him, causing severe burns

New York City Police said they're looking for an unidentified individual who approached a 44-year-old male victim from behind in front of 1638 Park Avenue and threw an unknown substance on him, causing severe burns to his face and neck.

The incident occurred around 8:47 p.m. Monday, police said, adding that the individual who threw the substance on the victim fled on foot, traveling northbound on Park Avenue. Police said the individual is wanted for assault.

'It looked hot. It was bubbling, it was smoking. Only God knows what it was.'

WABC-TV reported that the victim — whom the station refers to only as "Mr. Alcantara" — was waiting for his food order outside Cravin Crispy at Park Avenue and East 116th Street in East Harlem when a male walked past carrying what appeared to be a pot.

Alcantara told the station that the male threw the substance at him without warning and that he suffered severe burns and scars.

"I felt a splash of something, and then after I felt the splash ... a complete burn," the victim told WABC. "It just turned black, and it ate through the hoodie."

Alcantara told the station the substance made his skin feel as if it were on fire, and it left him with burns to the left side of his face, his ear, and the back of his neck.

"I have black areas on my skin, and then there's certain areas that are white and certain areas that are pink," he told WABC. "And I also have blisters in certain areas as well."

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The station said Alcantara ran into Cravin Crispy screaming for help — and that Oscar Perez, who was behind the counter, said the attack left him shaken.

"I was scared," Perez told WABC. "I was traumatized for my life." Perez told the station he saw the male carrying the pot but had no idea he would throw it at a customer.

"It looked hot. It was bubbling, it was smoking. Only God knows what it was," Perez added to WABC.

The substance left stains on the sidewalk and Alcantara with lasting injuries, the station said, adding that the victim indicated he didn't fully understand what had occurred until he saw video of the attack.

"Obviously at first it was terrifying," Alcantara told WABC. "All I wanted to know is why?"

The victim said doctors told him he's fortunate the substance didn't touch his eyes, the station said.

"Thank God, no," Alcantara added to WABC. "That's what the doctors were saying ... that I'm lucky it didn't get into the eye because I probably would have been blind in that eye."

The station said Alcantara will need a skin-graft procedure and is unsure if he'll ever look the same. He added to WABC that he hopes the suspect does not harm anyone else.

Police said that those with information regarding this incident should call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public also can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X @NYPDTips.

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