Police: Man Arrested In Manhattan Molotov Cocktail Attack
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police have arrested a man who they said threw a Molotov cocktail at a group of men in Midtown.
Thomas Miles, 53, faces charges of attempted murder, attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.
The incident happened last Friday in front of 356 West 37th Street.
Police said Miles walked up to a group of men and threw a glass bottle containing a flammable liquid and a burning rag in their direction. The bottle shattered, which started a fire but no one was hurt, police said.
Police sources told CBS2 the location is a storage facility for food carts.
The owner of the garage found the suspect sitting on a bench outside and informed him it was a private bench, police said. They then got into an argument and the suspect pushed the garage owner, who then threw his coffee on the man, according to police.
The suspect then allegedly said, "I'm going to come back with a knife and kill you" before walking away.
Later, two Hasidic Jewish men approached the garage owner, who was sitting on the bench, and asked to use his cellphone. That's when the suspect returned and tossed the bottle, cops said.
Police sources said the Jewish men were not intentionally targeted. The garage owner is Middle Eastern, but cops do not believe his ethnicity had anything to do with the incident.
Investigators located surveillance video of the suspect purchasing rubbing alcohol, which is believed to have been used to make the Molotov cocktail.
Witnesses told police Miles appeared to be intoxicated.
