The man who set himself on fire Friday (19.4.24) outside a New York court where Donald Trump’s trial was being held has died.
According to a US official, the man who set himself on fire was not targeting the former US president himself.
The man was engulfed in flames for several minutes in front of television cameras set up outside the courthouse to cover the trial of Trump, the first former president in US history to be tried by a criminal court.
NBC News and other US media reported early today (local time) that the man had died. New York City police said, according to NBC News, that authorities at the hospital where the man was taken pronounced him dead. Officials had earlier said the man, in his late 40s, was in critical condition.
Witnesses said they saw the man take leaflets out of a backpack and throw them in the air, then douse himself in a liquid and set himself on fire. One of those leaflets contained references to “evil billionaires”, but the passages seen by a Reuters eyewitness did not mention Trump.
New York police said the man, identified by authorities as Max Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida, did not appear to be targeting Trump or others involved in the lawsuit.
“Right now we’re characterizing him as some sort of conspiracy theorist, and we’re going from there,” Tariq Shepard, deputy police commissioner, told a news conference.
In an online manifesto, a man with that name said he was setting himself on fire and apologized to friends, eyewitnesses and rescuers. The post speaks of an “apocalyptic fascist coup and criticizes cryptocurrencies and American politicians, without however specifically singling out Trump.
The smell of smoke could be felt at the scene shortly after the incident, according to a Reuters eyewitness, while a police officer sprayed the ground with a fire extinguisher. At that time there was a smoldering backpack and a gas lighter at the scene.
The shocking incident came shortly after jury selection for Trump’s trial was completed, clearing the way for prosecutors and defense attorneys to proceed with their opening arguments next week. In that case, Trump has pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts of falsifying documents to hide money he paid former porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
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