Chicago's 'Walking Man' Lit On Fire By Unknown Assailant: Police

CHICAGO — A 75-year-old homeless person who is known around Chicago as "Walking Man" was set on fire and suffered burns to more than half of his body after being attacked early Wednesday morning, Chicago police said.

The man, who is also known as the “Walking Dude” has previously been identified as Joseph Kromelis, prefers to keep to himself, according to media reports. Police said that the man was attacked at 2:50 a.m. on Wednesday by an unknown assailant who walked up to the victim while he was lying down and poured a flammable liquid on him, Chicago police said on Wednesday.

The attack happened on North Lower Wabash Avenue, police said. A security officer from a nearby building used a fire extinguisher to put the fire out. The victim was taken to Northwestern Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition, police said.

No one is in custody at this time, police said Wednesday, adding there is no known motive for the attack.

The incident marks the second time that Kromelis has been attacked in the past six years, according to the Chicago Tribune. Kromelis, who the newspaper reported comes from a wealthy family and once worked as a bartender on Rush Street, was attacked in 2016 and beaten with a baseball bat in broad daylight on Lower Wacker Drive.

The Tribune reported that police arrived to find the attacker standing over Kromelis struggling over the baseball bat. Police indicated that the suspect had also threatened to throw Kromelis over a railing and onto the pavement 20 feet below.