ICYMI: Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Setting Double Amputee on Fire in Homeless Camp
A Minneapolis man admitted to setting a tent on fire, leaving a double amputee with severe burns in a shocking act of violence. đ #News #MinneapolisMN #Minnesota #Crime
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – A Minnesota manâs horrifying night inside a burning tent near Target Field in Minneapolis has led to a guilty plea from the attacker who left him fighting for his life. The December 2023 incident saw flames engulfing the victim, a double amputee, in what authorities called a vicious assault meant to cause maximum suffering.
The 58-year-old victim, Steven J. Waddell, suffered catastrophic burns covering nearly his entire body, leaving his survival uncertain for weeks.
On Monday, 34-year-old Anthony Curtis Leikas admitted his role in the terrifying attack, pleading guilty to first-degree assault in Hennepin County District Court. Although prosecutors initially charged him with attempted premeditated first-degree murder, the charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement.
Fire Ignited by Words of Hate
Authorities were first alerted around 1 a.m. on December 5, 2023, when flames erupted at a homeless encampment near Glenwood Avenue and Twins Way.
When officers arrived, they found Waddell lying on the ground, suffering burns to 85% to 90% of his body.
The harrowing details emerged as Waddell told police that Leikas had uttered the words âburn in hellâ just before setting the tent on fire.
Surveillance footage later confirmed the chilling scene. The video captured Leikas approaching Waddellâs tent and leaving moments before the flames consumed it shortly after midnight.
Emergency responders didnât reach Waddell for nearly an hour. He endured excruciating injuries awaiting their help.
Evidence Points Directly to Leikas
Investigators pieced together their case using surveillance images from a nearby gas station that showed Leikas and matched him to the suspect seen on video near the tent.
Initially, Leikas denied setting the fire, instead blaming two others who he claimed had carelessly tossed lit cigarette butts.
However, the evidence stacked against him left little room for doubt.
A Criminal History That Spans Over a Decade
Leikas is no stranger to the justice system. His criminal record dates back to 2008, with convictions for multiple counts of robbery and burglary. That year, he was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for aggravated robbery. In 2016, he received another prison sentence of nearly three years for a simple robbery conviction.
Now, his latest crime has landed him a sentence of 13 years, with eight years behind bars and the remaining time under supervised release. His time served since arrest will count toward his sentence.
For Waddell, the scars of this brutal attack may never fade, but the conviction of his attacker marks a step toward justice in one of the cityâs most haunting cases.
RELATED TOPICS: Crime | Minnesota
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