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Police: Homeless man burned at crowd's urging

A homeless man on the Northeastside was critically burned on Monday night by a man who poured lighter fluid on him and set him on fire.

Anthony W. Eldridge, 22, was trying to sell the lighter fluid on the street when he encountered a crowd of about 20 people in the 4000 block of Brentwood Avenue near 42nd Street and Post Road, Marion County Sheriff's deputies said.

"The crowd said 'light him up,' " said Capt. Phil Burton, and a man used a cigarette lighter to set the fluid on fire.

Eldridge was sent to Wishard Memorial Hospital with third-degree burns over 50 percent of his body. He was listed in critical condition Monday night.

Deputies weren't certain how the fire was extinguished, but Eldridge was taken a short distance to the 4000 block of Pinehurst Drive East, where help was called.

Police are looking for the man believed to have set Eldridge on fire. Deputies have only the name "Lil' Willie."