A California woman is accused of setting a man on fire after pouring gasoline on him during an argument on Thursday,
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Surveillance footage captured the altercation when Patricia Castillo,48, reportedly poured the liquid substance on the man while sitting on the grass at a park in the Sanger neighborhood of Fresno. The Sanger Police Department said in a statement that she was accompanied by 43-year-old Leonard Hawkins, who allegedly provided her with the dangerous liquid substance.
Moments later, Castillo starts arguing with the victim, and she takes a lighter out of her pocket and then places it close to his shirt. Instantly, flames engulfed the victim. According to the Daily Mail, it is unclear if Castillo knew the man.
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‘The video shows Castillo approaching the victim and throwing a liquid from a cup onto him, and she and the victim appear to argue before Castillo sparks a lighter and lights the victim on fire. Further investigation revealed that Leonard Hawkins had provided the accelerant used to light the victim on fire to Castillo,‘ the police department said in a statement on Facebook.
Castillo and Hawkins were taken into custody and face multiple felony charges for attempted murder, arson, and conspiracy. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital and although his condition is currently unknown, he is expected to survive as reported by the Daily Mail
Social media reacts to the incident
Several users on Twitter had various opinions about the crime and noted how violence against men and women needed to be taken more seriously.
Warning: content some may find distressing
I’ve just read an article highlighting how a woman in California recently doused a man in gasoline & set him on fire
I won’t share the article
Violence perpetrated by men AND women (not just men) needs to be treated seriously
— Phil Mitchell: Male Sexual Abuse Specialist (@PhilMitchell83) July 10, 2022
Another one! What’s with the rash of people being set on fire? If this is what they do where they come from, go BACK. This is not civilized behavior.
2 arrested in California after lighting a man on fire during an argument, police say https://t.co/HrGFn1ctmc
— Happy Kat (@HappyKatFlorida) July 9, 2022
On Thursday, a California man was found guilty of multiple felonies which included animal cruelty. Orland Vela reportedly stabbed the dog multiple times and then set the animal on fire in May 2020. He also resisted arrest during an encounter with police while pushing a shopping cart containing the animal.
“Dogs will often lay down their lives for their owners, and for a man to return that loyalty by stabbing his dog to death and lighting it on fire displays a level of cruelty seldom seen, and which absolutely will not go unpunished. Vela’s actions are despicable, and this conviction assures that his crimes will be met with a well-deserved prison commitment,” said Kern County District Attorney Zimmer in a press release.