Nutjob hurls scorching hot substance at stranger in front of NYC restaurant leaving him with severe facial burns: cops

A maniac randomly tossed a scalding hot mystery liquid at a stranger outside an East Harlem restaurant that left him severely burned, cops said.

The brute – carrying what appears to be a steaming thermos – approached the 44-year-old Johnny Alacantra from behind and hurled the unknown substance at him while he stood in front of the Cravin Crispy restaurant on Park Avenue near East 116th Street around 8:45 p.m. Monday, police said. 

Surveillance video obtained by NBC New York shows Alacantra occupied on his phone, facing the eatery, when the fiend approached him without warning and dumped the burning brew on him.

A stranger carrying what appears to be a thermos with steaming liquid randomly tossed the burning brew at a man in East Harlem Monday night, cops said. NYPD

Alacantra was waiting to pickup a takeout order from the restaurant, the outlet reported.

The unprovoked assault left the victim – who claimed he didn’t know his attacker – with blistering burns on his face and neck, cops said. 

The brazen attacker then took off, heading north on Park Avenue, authorities said. 

First responders brought Alacantra to Harlem Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Oscar Perez, a Cravin Crispy employee, said police were back outside the restaurant Tuesday probing the attack, while white residue was still visible on the sidewalk.

“[It’s] pretty bizarre,” Perez told NBC New York.

The unprovoked attack happened in front of the Cravin Crispy restaurant on Park Avenue near East 116th Street. Google Maps

“Throwing it on a random person, too, even more crazier. This world ain’t safe no more.”

Tanya Leslie, an East Harlem resident, told the outlet, “You can be walking and someone randomly approach you and do this to you, we just have to be vigilant and just be our brother’s keeper.”

Police released a surveillance image Tuesday of the still-at-large goateed assailant, seen sporting a beanie, black jacket over a gray sweatshirt, black pants and white sneakers. 

Anyone with information on the attack is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). 

The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips.

The Post has reached out to Alacantra for comment.