Homeless Man Set on Fire in Texas

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A homeless man was set ablaze while he was sleeping on a bench in an attack caught on videotape.

Lucas Adama Wiser remained hospitalized early Thursday with third-degree burns.

Police were looking for up to eight men in connection with the attack Tuesday outside an agency that helps the homeless.

A surveillance videotape at Corpus Christi Metro Ministries (search) showed the men setting the victim ablaze. Wiser, 21, was screaming and holding his right arm when police arrived about 3:45 a.m. Tuesday, police Capt. John Moseley said.

The police investigations supervisor said a dark sport utility vehicle and a smaller vehicle were videotaped pulling up to the homeless man, but it was unclear whether his attackers doused him with a flammable liquid.

"Then you see the fire and they ran off," Moseley told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times in Thursday's editions.

Police could not identify license plate numbers from the video, said Moseley.

Wizer was taken to Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial (search) with swelling and burn marks on his right arm, third-degree burns on the forearm and minor burns on his thighs.

"It's shocking and violent," said Moseley, adding that investigators planned to talk with the victim as he recovers from the attack.