Police in New York say they are investigating an incident in which a shirtless man fired a flamethrower from the roof of a packed city bus earlier this month.
Footage posted on social media purports to show the pyrotechnic prank which took place at 5:30pm local time on November 8, though the NYPD only confirmed detectives were investigating the case on Tuesday.
“We are aware of the video and it is being investigated by the 79 Precinct Detective Squad,” the NYPD said in a statement. In the fiery footage, rapt bystanders can be seen filming and cheering as the searing spectacle unfolded at an intersection on Putnam Avenue.
As the flamethrower-wielding man leapt from an ice cream truck onto the Metropolitan Transportation Authority B26 bus, some flammable liquid dripped from the flamethrower onto the vehicle’s roof, but no injuries or damage were reported.
“We don’t even need to say how absurd, dangerous and just plain stupid this was,” MTA spokesman Tim Minton said. “The reckless individual who torched over the top of an occupied bus put New Yorkers, including the bus operator, in life-threatening peril.”
The stunt was reportedly part of a music video by local rapper Dupree G.O.D., in some form of homage to the group Wu-Tang Clan.
“’Wutang’ music video shoot was insane. It was a movie. It was f–king epic,”“Much everyone to all who came out (sic). We shut Franklin Avenue Down. With amazing energy. We are in this together. We The ILLest. Video coming,” Dupree G.O.D. said on social media.
The rapper also shared additional footage of his entourage playing with the flamethrower.
As the story broke overnight, city officials confirmed that no permits had been issued for the video shoot.
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