US NewsTragic end for man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial

Tragic end for man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial

In the park in front of the courthouse on Manhattan in New York, a man set himself on fire on Friday.
In the park in front of the courthouse on Manhattan in New York, a man set himself on fire on Friday.
Images source: © East News

7:44 AM EDT, April 20, 2024

A man who set himself on fire in front of a New York courthouse on Friday has succumbed to his injuries. This incident occurred during a historic trial involving Donald Trump at the courthouse.

In front of the courthouse in Manhattan, a distressing scene unfolded on Friday as a man set himself ablaze. Captured live by television cameras, the man, an American, was aflame for several minutes amidst media personnel who were there covering Donald Trump's trial. He was swiftly transported to the hospital in critical condition.

The individual has been identified as 37-year-old Maxwell Azzarello, according to BBC. Azzarello had traveled to New York from Florida the previous week. He was relatively unknown in New York, and his family in Florida was unaware of his departure.

On Saturday, American media outlets reported Azzarello's death. The New York City Police Department confirmed to The Associated Press that he was pronounced dead by hospital staff following the incident.

Witnesses describe unsettling scene, conspiracy literature

Those who witnessed the self-immolation outside the New York courthouse report that the man distributed pamphlets believed to contain conspiracy theories before dousing himself with a flammable liquid and igniting it.

According to Reuters, the New York Police Department has stated that Maxwell Azzarello's actions appear to be unrelated to Donald Trump or others involved in the courthouse trial. "We just right now are labeling it as a conspiracy theorist and we're going from there, but the investigation will continue," Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard of the Police Department remarked.

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