Man Set On Fire During Columbia Heights Robbery

Two robbers told a man to hand over his cash before beating him and setting him on fire in Columbia Heights over the weekend, according to D.C. Police.

The violent robbery and assault happened on the 3500 block of 14th St. NW around 11 p.m. Saturday night.

A man was walking home after drinking with some friends in an alley when he was approached by two other men, according to a police report Borderstan obtained. The duo asked the man for cash, but he responded that he had nothing to hand over.

The two robbers then began to beat the man, knocking him to the ground face-first. Then, the robbers set the man on fire, police said. The victim, who didn’t immediately seek medical attention, thew his burned jacket in a trash can and walked away, according to authorities.

Hours later, someone spotted the victim walking near 14th Street and Spring Road NW and called D.C. Fire and EMS. Paramedics arrived and transported the man to the hospital.

The victim was treated for third-degree burns at the hospital, where he was listed in fair condition yesterday.

Police did not provide a detailed description of the suspects.