Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Video: Man With Flamethrower Jumps Atop Brooklyn Bus, Sprays Fire Everywhere
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 17, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 17, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A man who triumphantly wielded a flame thrower atop an occupied city bus in Bed-Stuy earlier this month has captured the attention of the NYPD, the MTA, and New Yorkers dissatisfied with what counts as weird or shocking performance art these days.
Footage of the stunt, which was posted to Twitter on Tuesday, shows the man hopping from an ice cream truck to the roof of a B26 bus, then jubilantly spraying jets of fire into the air, as onlookers cheer and scream with a mixture of disbelief and fear. The man then points the weapon downward, briefly setting fire to the street below, before awkwardly dismounting the bus, and dropping his flamethrower with a disconcerting clink.
On Twitter and Instagram, Rapper Dupree G.O.D. posted that the flamethrowing was part of a music video for his song "Wu Tang," and that he hired the ice cream truck for the occasion. A message sent to one of his accounts has not yet been returned.
According to the MTA, the huge geysers of fire streamed into the dark night sky at around 5:30 p.m. on November 8th; none of the 25 passengers on the B26 bus were injured.
“We don’t even need to say how absurd, dangerous and just plain stupid this was. The reckless individual who torched over the top of an occupied bus put New Yorkers, including the bus operator, in life-threatening peril," said Tim Minton, a spokesperson for the agency. "We are grateful the courageous actions of the operator in moving riders to safety minimized risk, and are cooperating fully with the NYPD investigation.”
Flamethrowers are surprisingly not-all-that-difficult to obtain, and they remain legal to possess in New York City; a measure aimed at banning them failed to pass the state legislature two years ago, though another bill is still pending.
Additional reporting from Jake Offenhartz.
Tagged
flamethrower
trumpet fight guy would not be impressed
brooklyn
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Feds blame NYC's sanctuary policies for violent ICE arrest
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said ICE officers were unaware a child was in vehicle fired upon during arrest.
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Oct 9, 2026 at 12:37 p.m. ET
NYPD rushed man shot by ICE to hospital in police SUV, bodycam footage shows
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said ICE officers fired at Oscar Belgal multiple times when he was in a car with his 5-year-old son.
By
Ben Feuerherd
News
NYPD rushed man shot by ICE to hospital in police SUV, bodycam footage shows
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said ICE officers fired at Oscar Belgal multiple times when he was in a car with his 5-year-old son.
By
Ben Feuerherd
Pencils down: NYC lawmakers want to switch back to paper tests as state mandates screens
By
Jessica Gould
Penn Station’s future could be determined by midterm elections
By
Stephen Nessen
ICE mistakenly arrested 2 men in the Bronx, then mounted cover-up, US judge rules
By
Arya Sundaram
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .