You’re assuming there were 2 black guys walking around with a can of gasoline and a lighter.
Are you assuming the gasoline and lighter were waiting on the victim's porch? I'm assuming what the article states, that the suspect picked up the can of gasoline and threatened the victim. The victim tried to knock the weapon, in this case a can of gasoline, away from the attacker. Then the attacker purposely lit the spilled gasoline.
Why do you take such issue with that?