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Man stabs two people in Astoria–one fatally–and sets homeless man on fire

James P. Dillon

James Patrick Dillon

March 6, 2016 Staff Report

The police are searching for a man who allegedly stabbed two Astoria residents—including one fatally–and set a homeless man on fire Sunday.

James Dillon, 23, allegedly slashed a 39-year-old woman in the head and face at about 11:30 am in the vicinity of 25-69 36th Street, police said.

Dillon then went on to stab a 55-year-old man to death at 38-18 Astoria Boulevard and set a 61-year-old homeless man on fire nearby, police said.

EMS took the woman to Mount Sinai Hospital in stable condition.

Meanwhile, the 55 year old victim was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The 61-year-old man was sent to Cornell in critical condition

The police had a helicopter flying over the area Sunday afternoon and by 6 pm they had surrounded an apartment building near Astoria Boulevard where Dillon was believed to be located.

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32 Comments

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Jake

Bring back the asylums for the mentally ill! The states stopped funding them and they all closed down. Ever since we’ve had to be at the mercy of these lunies!

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Yes but

But there needs to be a middle ground. It can’t be “one flew over” type of institutions but it is clear that some people need to be supervised in safe and secure settings. There has to be a way to keep people with such dangerous mental illnesses safe from harming themselves or others while still keeping their dignity.

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what!

this all happened within a 5 minute walk from where i currently live, and 2 minutes from where i used to live.
I had purchased from that liquor store previously, and walked down all of these side streets.

i am grateful it was not any worse. we all should be. at least he didn’t have a gun. thank you NYPD for doing what you could to stop this.

Why were his parents allowing him to not take his medication if they knew he was a maniac? i’m not blaming them for all of this, but i’m sure to some extent they could have prevented this incident had they been on top of this kid.

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Nick the Greek

Trash coming into Astoria from the Midwest with their mental issues ruining the neighborhood, go back where you came from gentrifying pseudo NYers!

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Astoria Resident

He was born and raised in Astoria. But don’t let facts cloud your ‘issues’. Carry-on

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garr

The suspect grew up in Astoria and went to school here. He had mental issues and a police record. Family stated he had stopped taking his meds. Such a shame it took so long to stop him. I did not know anything had occurred until after the police shooting.

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garret

The suspect grew up in Astoria and went to school here. He had mental issues and a police record. The family stated he had stopped taking his meds. Such a shame it took all day to find this person. I live near the area (always very busy) and did not know anything had occurred until after the police gunned him down.

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Anonymous

Astoria was such a nice neighborhood before they started puting these housing and bringing these ppl with no income living in a section A housing

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Adrianna B

I grew up in the Astoria my whole life and if you didnt know the woodside Housing projects is literally right next to astoria and W.C Bryant HS where I also went to. So becuase now ppl with section 8 are moving in does not make a difference. I also believe their are also other Housing projects that have been there for a while in Astoria park.

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Anonymous

LOL the kid raised by homeowners set a homeless guy on fire, but we’re going to blame homeless shelters every chance we get. Jokes on half of Astoria.

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Danny Beckmann

I heard that they caught him. If not, I will be carrying my bear spray and tie him down myself.

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The NY post

Has this story on its website and yes I believe they said the liquor store owner was fatally stabbed.

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He set someone

On fire. Black white or purple, you set someone one fire, you have mental issues.

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Ayah

He killed a person and did crazy things don’t feel bad for someone you don’t know anything about. He did many things in his past and it’s all in his records! Have a look at that then speak

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Ben Dover

Poor white man?? This man commited his crimes and went out like a MAN!!! He came out swinging at the cops and got shot to death. That’s how white people do it. Not like some punk bitches that put their hands up and soon as a cop points a gun at him and then go on to spend the rest of their lives in jail. Don’t hate on the white man!! Crazy is just our thing, the way sports is your thing

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