East Harlem, Manhattan – On Monday night, a local resident, identified as Mr. Alcantara, was waiting outside a restaurant when an unknown individual approached carrying a pot. Without warning, the person threw a hot, bubbling liquid at Mr. Alcantara’s face.

“I felt a splash of something and then a complete burn,” Mr. Alcantara told Eyewitness News. “It just turned black and it ate through the hoodie.” The substance caused burns to the left side of his face, his ear and the back of his neck. He described the sensation as if his skin were on fire.

After the attack, Mr. Alcantara ran into Cravin Crispy at Park Avenue and East 116th Street, screaming for help. Oscar Perez, a staff member behind the counter, said the incident left him shaken. “I was scared. I was traumatized for my life,” Perez said.

According to Perez, the attacker was seen carrying a pot that appeared to be hot, bubbling and smoking. “Only God knows what it was,” he added.

The liquid left dark stains on the sidewalk and on Mr. Alcantara’s clothing. He said he did not fully understand what had happened until he viewed video footage of the assault. “Obviously at first it was terrifying,” he said. “All I wanted to know is why?”

Doctors have told Mr. Alcantara that he is fortunate the substance did not reach his eye. “Thank God no,” he said. “The doctors said I’m lucky it didn’t get into the eye because I probably would have been blind in that eye.” He will require a skin‑graft procedure and is uncertain whether he will ever look the same again. Mr. Alcantara expressed hope that the suspect will not harm anyone else.

Community response

Local residents and business owners expressed concern over the random nature of the attack. Many urged law‑enforcement to increase patrols in the area and to investigate the incident thoroughly.

Police have not yet identified a suspect and are asking anyone with information to come forward. The investigation remains ongoing.

Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.