Man Sets Woman’s Hair On Fire In NYC

Manhattan Man Arrested After Attacks on Five Women, Including Blind Victim and Hair-Fire Assault

By Marie o’Nealle

New York, NY - A 28-year-old man was arrested this week following a string of violent and disturbing attacks on women across Manhattan, including groping a blind woman and setting another woman’s hair on fire, according to NYPD officials.

The suspect, Edwin Page of Harlem, has been charged with multiple counts of forcible touching, assault, harassment, and reckless endangerment. Authorities say Page has a long history of mental health issues and prior arrests for similar offenses.

The first known incident occurred Friday morning in Chelsea, when Page allegedly approached a 23-year-old blind woman near West 23rd Street and Seventh Avenue. Witnesses say he impersonated a police detective, mocked the woman’s disability, and then groped her before fleeing the scene.

Three days later, Page allegedly committed four more attacks in Midtown South within a span of just two hours. One victim, a 27-year-old woman, reported that Page pressed himself against her inappropriately. A 37-year-old woman pushing a stroller told police he slapped her buttocks before walking away. A fourth woman was reportedly groped outside a deli on Eighth Avenue.

The most violent incident took place just before noon, when Page allegedly walked up to a 35-year-old woman on the sidewalk near West 31st Street and lit her hair on fire using a cigarette lighter. The woman managed to extinguish the flames herself and sustained minor injuries.

All victims were treated at the scene or nearby hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries. Police say surveillance footage and witness testimony helped identify Page, who was arrested without incident near his residence in Harlem late Monday night.

“This is a deeply troubling pattern of behavior,” NYPD spokesperson Lt. Carla Moreno said during a Tuesday press briefing. “We are grateful the victims are safe and that we were able to apprehend the suspect swiftly.”

Edwin Page is currently being held at Rikers Island pending arraignment. Prosecutors say they are reviewing additional evidence and may file further charges.

This case has reignited concerns among local women’s safety advocates about the ongoing issue of street harassment and the vulnerability of women in public spaces, especially those with disabilities.

Anyone with additional information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.