Tragedy in Graz

Homeless man in flames: Suspect identified

On Saturday morning, ash remains could still be found at the scene.(Bild: Sepp Pail)

On Saturday night, a homeless man was set on fire in Graz. The fugitive suspect has now been arrested. The 65-year-old Russian may also have been homeless and says "it was an accident".

There was a great shock in Graz on Saturday: shortly after midnight, witnesses saw a man walking quickly away from the entrance to a store on Lendplatz in Graz with what they thought was a canister. When passers-by took a closer look, they noticed that a man was on fire. It was a 52-year-old homeless man who was probably sleeping outside the store. The Hungarian suffered serious burn injuries and his life is currently in danger.

Suspect started a fire on the sidewalk
The search for the unknown man has been ongoing ever since. Who could have been responsible for the atrocity? On Saturday evening, the police received the news that a suspect had been identified. An officer from the Lend police station was alerted on Saturday morning that an elderly man had lit a fire on the sidewalk very close to the station. They rushed to him and immediately recognized that he matched the description of the perpetrator.

Witnesses confirm the suspicion
When confronted by the witnesses, they clearly recognized the man as the one who had left the scene around midnight. However, the alleged canister turned out to be a small, light-colored bag - no accelerants were found at the scene of the crime either.

The suspected Russian (65) did not confess, but remembers having started a fire that night. He also appears to be homeless and says it was "an accident". He was taken to Graz-Jakomini prison.