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Agartala, Tripura
A New York City man has been charged with killing four people, including a toddler, after allegedly setting fire to a residential building in Queens last month in what prosecutors described as a random and deliberate act of violence.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz on Thursday said the accused, Roman Amatitla, faces eight counts of second-degree murder, first-degree arson, and multiple assault charges in connection with the blaze in Flushing that left four dead and seven injured, including two firefighters.
“This was an act of mass murder,” Katz said in an official statement.
According to reports, Roman Amatitla performed the act in a fit of rage after losing his job.
According to investigators, the 38-year-old Maspeth resident had no known connection to the building or its occupants and allegedly chose the property at random.
“As alleged, Roman Amatitla deliberately set a fire in an occupied building and killed four people, including a 3-year-old girl,” Katz said, adding that authorities are seeking the maximum penalty.
Prosecutors said the incident occurred on March 16 at around 11:43 a.m., when Amatitla entered the ground floor of a three-storey building at 132-05 Avery Avenue in Flushing.
He allegedly left within a minute but lingered near the property for about 15 minutes, re-entering and exiting multiple times. During this period, he also crossed the street to a nearby gas station, where he purchased a beer, stole another, and asked for a lighter. When refused, he bought a pack of matches.
Investigators allege that Amatitla then returned to the building, lit a piece of paper, and placed it on garbage near a stairwell, igniting the blaze. He reportedly remained nearby and watched as the fire engulfed the structure.
Firefighters responding to the scene discovered three victims inside the building:
3-year-old Sihan Yang
49-year-old Chengri Cui
61-year-old Shin Chie Ming
All three were pronounced dead at the scene due to smoke inhalation.
A fourth victim, 64-year-old Hong Zhao, died later in hospital after jumping from a window while trying to escape the flames.
Amatitla was arraigned before Criminal Court Judge Thomas Wright Fernandez and remanded in custody. He is scheduled to return to court on April 13.
If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 25 years to life in prison.
