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Homeless Veteran Set On Fire Gets Outpouring Of Support From Community

Homeless Veteran Set On Fire Gets Outpouring Of Support From Community
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Business Reporter, HuffPost

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A stunned California community is demanding justice and offering an outpouring support for a homeless veteran who was set on fire in a gruesome attack.

Three perpetrators doused John Frazier in lighter fluid while he lay sleeping on Jan. 17 and set him ablaze, according to NBS Los Angeles. The victim suffered burns on 40 percent of his body and the tight-knit community has covered the scene of the crime with candles and messages of comfort in a show of solidarity.

"He was just a really nice guy," Elaine Lutz, a local who spoke with Frazier as recently as last week, told NBC. To her knowledge, the 58-year-old had never caused any trouble.

The assailants, who were described as men with shaved heads in their teens or early 20s, remained at large as of Tuesday and there is no known motive for the attack, according to KTLA.

If you’d like to help John Frazier as he begins his recovery, donate to his Crowdrise campaign through the widget.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

The victim is being treated at USC Medical Center and doctors expect him to survive the horrific ordeal, according to KTLA.

The incident is indicative of the recent uptick in targeted violence against homeless people.

According to the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), people on the streets experienced a 23 percent increase in such attacks in 2013 as compared with the year before.

In 2013, there were a total of 108 reported attacks against the homeless, 18 of which resulted in death, Michael Stoops, NCH's director of community organizing, told HuffPost last year. Those figures are likely much higher, considering that many incidents against homeless people go unreported.

Stoops attributed the distressing trend to a number of factors, including copycat crimes and increasing laws against homeless people that exacerbate the stigma against people on the streets.

But authorities say such grisly acts of violence boggle their minds.

In 2012, Dennis Petillo was booked for investigation of attempted murder after he burned a homeless woman in Los Angeles, according to the Associated Press.

The 24-year-old poured flammable liquid all over the woman as she lay sleeping on a bench and set her aflame.

"There was no incident or dispute or clear motivation for this horrific attack. He did not know his victim," LAPD Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese told the Los Angeles Times. "It defies explanation."

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Before You Go

Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In America
#15 Houston: Sauer St. / Mcgowen St.(01 of15)
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City: HoustonNeighborhood: At Sauer St. / Mcgowen St.Zip code: 77004, 77003Violent crimes per 1,000: 75.89Chance of becoming a victim: One in 13Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Sauer St. / Mcgowen St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#14 Rockford, Ill.: Kishwaukee St. / Grove St.(02 of15)
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City: Rockford, Ill.Neighborhood: Kishwaukee St. / Grove St.Zip code: 61104Violent crimes per 1,000: 77.6Chance of becoming a victim: One in 13Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Kishwaukee St. / Grove St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#13 Chicago: S Homan Ave. / W Roosevelt Road(03 of15)
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City: ChicagoNeighborhood: S Homan Ave. / W Roosevelt RoadZip code: 60623Violent crimes per 1,000: 80.17Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the S Homan Ave. / W Roosevelt Road neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#12 St. Louis: Delmar Blvd. / N Euclid Ave.(04 of15)
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City: St. LouisNeighborhood: Delmar Blvd. / N Euclid Ave.Zip code: 63113, 63108Violent crimes per 1,000: 145.29Chance of becoming a victim: One in sevenInformation provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Delmar Blvd. / N Euclid Ave. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#11 Memphis, Tenn.: E Eh Crump Blvd. / S 4th St.(05 of15)
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City: Memphis, Tenn.Neighborhood: E Eh Crump Blvd. / S 4th St.Zip code: 38126Violent crimes per 1,000: 82.91Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the E Eh Crump Blvd. / S 4th St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#10 Saginaw, Mich.: E Holland Ave. / E Genesee Ave.(06 of15)
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City: Saginaw, Mich.Neighborhood: E Holland Ave. / E Genesee Ave.Zip code: 48601Violent crimes per 1,000: 85.64Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the E Holland Ave. / E Genesee Ave. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#9 Atlanta: Hopkins St. SE / Adair Ave. SE(07 of15)
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City: AtlantaNeighborhood: Hopkins St. SE / Adair Ave. SEZip code: 30315Violent crimes per 1,000: 86.14Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Hopkins St. SE / Adair Ave. SE neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#8 Greenville, SC: Woodside(08 of15)
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City: Greenville, SCNeighborhood: WoodsideZip code: 29611Violent crimes per 1,000: 86.38Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Woodside neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#7 Detroit: Wyoming St. / Orangelawn St.(09 of15)
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City: DetroitNeighborhood: Wyoming St. / Orangelawn St.Zip code: 48204Violent crimes per 1,000: 90.82Chance of becoming a victim: One in 11Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Wyoming St. / Orangelawn St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#6 Houston: Scott St. / Wilmington St.(10 of15)
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City: HoustonNeighborhood: Scott St. / Wilmington St.Zip code: 77051Violent crimes per 1,000: 91.27Chance of becoming a victim: One in 11Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Scott St. / Wilmington St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#5 Spartanburg, SC: Washington Heights(11 of15)
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City: Spartanburg, SCNeighborhood: Washington HeightsZip code: 29306Violent crimes per 1,000: 96.55Chance of becoming a victim: One in 10Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Washington Heights neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#4 Chicago: S Halsted St. / W 77th St.(12 of15)
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City: ChicagoNeighborhood: S Halsted St. / W 77th St.Zip code: 60620Violent crimes per 1,000: 116.56Chance of becoming a victim: One in nineInformation provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the S Halsted St. / W 77th St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#3 Detroit: Gratiot Ave. / Rosemary Ave.(13 of15)
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Neighborhood: Mack Ave. / Helen St.Zip code: 48207Violent crimes per 1,000: 123.93Chance of becoming a victim: One in eightInformation provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Gratiot Ave. / Rosemary Ave. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#2 Detroit: Mack Ave. / Helen St.(14 of15)
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Neighborhood: Mack Ave. / Helen St.Zip code: 48207Violent crimes per 1,000: 145.29Chance of becoming a victim: One in sevenAccording to Neighborhood Scout, 78.5 percent of the residential real estate in this Detroit neighborhood was built in 1939 or earlier, a greater concentration of historic homes than 99.1 percent of neighborhoods nationwide, but there is also a high rate of vacancy.Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Mack Ave. / Helen St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
Most Dangerous: Detroit's W Chicago / Livernois Ave.(15 of15)
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Neighborhood: W Chicago / Livernois AveZip code: 48204Violent crimes per 1,000: 149.48Chance of becoming a victim: One in sevenIn this neighborhood, .9 percent of adults have earned a bachelor's degree, NeighborhoodScout found, a lower rater than 98.7 percent of neighborhoods nationwide. Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the W Chicago / Livernois Ave. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
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