Two homeless people set on fire in shocking attack in Mataderos

In shocking scenes captured on video by the very people who carried the attack, two homeless people in Mataderos have been doused in flammable liquid and set on fire.

The two individuals, who were sleeping under a bridge in the Buenos Aires City neighbourhood that joins General Paz and Avenida Juan Bautista Alberdi, were attacked by a man who threw a flammable liquid at them before setting it on fire. Another man filmed the violent assault, accompanying the attacker.

The perpetrators then fled the scene in a car, officials said, with investigators now looking for the Volkswagen vehicle that carried away the attackers.

One victim of the attack was identified as 38-year-old José Luis Pallaoro. He was left with various burns on his body. He treated at the Hospital Municipal de Quemados after the attack.

The second victim, who has not been identified, reportedly made his own way to the same hospital, from which he was discharged a few days later.

Police sources told the Noticias Argentinas news agency that the attack took place approximately three weeks ago, though the images of the attack only emerged on Wednesday.

In the video, the attacker gets out of a car and is seen walking toward the two victims, one of whom is asleep on a mattress. He douses the sleeping person with a liquid, before setting it on fire and throwing an unidentified object at the victim.

Upon being engulfed in flames, one of the victims awakes startled and desperately attempts to put out the flames. 

The second attacker films the incident, shouting abuse at the victims.

Police sources said Wednesday that City Police are investigating the attack, scanning surveillance cameras in the area to identify the vehicle and the aggressors.

- NA