An undocumented immigrant has been charged with deliberately igniting a fire in New York City, resulting in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to seven others. This alleged mass murderer might potentially evade scrutiny from federal immigration authorities, thanks to the actions of local officials.
As reported by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, on March 16 around 11:43 a.m., Roman Ammatitla, a 38-year-old Mexican national living in the U.S. illegally, is accused of setting fire to a three-story building in Flushing, Queens. Melinda Katz remarked on the incident, describing it as an “act of mass murder.”
Firefighters discovered three bodies inside the building: a 49-year-old man, Chenli Kui; a 61-year-old woman, Xin Chieming; and a 3-year-old girl, Sihan Yan. They all succumbed to smoke inhalation, according to Katz’s office.
The fourth victim, 64-year-old Hong Zhao, escaped by jumping through a window but suffered severe injuries, including broken bones and head trauma from the fall. He later died in the hospital, as noted by Katz’s report.
In addition to the fatalities, seven other people, including two firefighters, sustained injuries during the blaze, one of whom fell into the basement when the stairs collapsed.
Ammatitla’s actions before igniting the fire are particularly disturbing. Reports indicate he:
- Entered and exited the target building several times that morning.
- Urinated outside.
- Visited a gas station, bought one beer, and stole another.
- Requested a lighter from the clerk, but instead took a book of matches.
- Returned to the building, set paper on fire, and placed it atop trash near the stairwell.
Once the fire erupted, Katz’s office reported that Ammatitla “stood nearby and watched as the flames engulfed the building,” with smoke billowing into the street. Authorities have determined that the suspect’s selection of the building was entirely random, as he had “no connection to the building or its residents.”
Ammatitla faces multiple serious charges, including eight counts of second-degree murder, first-degree arson, two counts of second-degree assault, and petty theft. Despite these grave allegations, the Department of Homeland Security claims the New York City Department of Corrections declined a request to hand him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“ICE’s request for arrest was denied. On April 14, ICE requested that NYCDOC not release this dangerous individual back into society. However, due to New York’s sanctuary policies, NYCDOC refused to work with ICE,” stated a DHS representative.
In response to inquiries, the prosecutor’s office avoided addressing questions about cooperation with federal authorities, simply affirming that “the defendant has been remanded and will appear in court again on May 12.”
A spokesperson for NYCDOC commented that they manage ICE detainees according to local regulations governing their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. They notify ICE about a defendant’s potential release only if there’s a specific ICE warrant or if the defendant has been convicted of a felony or violent crime within the past five years.
Requests for comments from DHS, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Mayor Zoran Mamdani went unanswered.
As of Monday morning, records confirm that Ammatitla remains in custody, and allegations against him from immigration detainees have been filed.
