A 46-year-old man died after setting himself on fire in his Sheepshead Bay backyard on March 9, according to police.
Cops responded to a 911 call at 5:35 am to find the man fully ablaze in the rear yard of a house on Bedford Avenue near Avenue Y, in an apparent act of self-immolation, according to a police source.
Firefighters extinguished the flames shortly after arriving, after which medics pronounced the man dead.
Eyewitnesses told cops they saw the man douse himself in an unknown liquid accelerant before setting himself on fire.
Neighbors on the block of two-story rowhouses gathered to watch canine units inspect the scene. One resident of the block said they never noticed any domestic issues at the house of the deceased, and that they had “three beautiful dogs.”
The cause of the death remains under investigation, according to police.
Update (March 10, 9:45 am): The mother of the deceased man has been reported as missing, according to police.
Police are searching for 77-year-old Patricia Ventre, described as approximately 5 feet 1 inch tall and 120 pounds. She lives in the Bedford Avenue home with her son.
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide, do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs, or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273–8255; and take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
Additional reporting by Lloyd Mitchell
