US News
Man charged after setting himself on fire in lobby of Manhattan building housing Google offices
A Brooklyn resident faces arson and endangerment charges after an incident in a Hudson Square office building that left no other injuries.
The short version
- A 63-year-old Brooklyn man, John Butch, set himself on fire in the lobby of a lower Manhattan building housing Google offices and other businesses.
- Butch was hospitalized in stable condition, and no other individuals were injured in the incident.
- Authorities charged Butch with arson, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief.
- Investigators have not determined a motive, though Google indicated the man appeared to be seeking entry to another tenant's area.
Key facts
- John Butch, 63, entered the lobby at 315 Hudson Street around 3 p.m. on Friday and set himself on fire.[NBC News]
- Butch was transported to a local hospital burn unit and reported to be in stable condition.[NBC News]
- No other people present at the scene were injured.[NBC News]
- Authorities charged Butch with criminal mischief, arson, and reckless endangerment.[NBC News]
- Google stated that the individual appeared to be attempting to access another tenant's space in the multi-tenant building.[NBC News]
What remains uncertain
- Police have not disclosed a clear motive, and it remains unknown whether Butch intended to target Google or another entity in the building.[NBC News]
Sources
- Man charged after setting himself ablaze in Google’s NYC office buildingNBC News - Top Stories