82-year-old Man With Cane Lays Beating On Guy Who Was Trying To Set Him On Fire.

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When the stranger ran up behind Gus Jones in downtown Seattle Wednesday and dumped liquid on his back, Jones, 82, said he immediately recognized the odor of lighter fluid.

Jones hollered and whacked Paul Pearson with his metal cane, which he believes prevented Pearson from hurling a match at him.

Two women standing a short distance away weren't so lucky.

The attacker turned from Jones and sprinted several feet toward the women at the corner of Third Avenue and Union Street. After dousing them with lighter fluid, Pearson managed to set the women on fire, according to Seattle police.

The women, 41 and 35, weren't seriously injured, police said. Both said that their hair and jackets were singed, Seattle police spokesman Jeff Kappel said.

"They got lit on fire, but it sounds like it burned the back of their jackets and hair," Kappel said. "They were treated and released from the scene."

Several witnesses grabbed Pearson, 50, and held him until police arrived, Kappel said. Pearson was booked into the King County Jail for investigation of assault.

Police didn't immediately know of any motive for the bizarre attacks.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003550609_lighterfluid01m.html

This makes no sense...

:eyes: