Man sets himself on fire and dies outside courthouse where Trump is trial | Wilnesh News

A man set himself on fire and died on Friday outside the courthouse hosting former President Trump’s hush-money trial, New York City police said earlier Saturday.

The man, identified by police as Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida, was outside in a designated protest area.

Police did not disclose the time of death. He was pronounced dead by hospital staff at the hospital where he was taken, the NYPD said.

New York Police Commissioner Jeffrey B. Maddrey told reporters that Azzarillo walked into the center of the park, rummaged around, opened his backpack, took out a large number of pamphlets and threw them on the ground. He then pulled out a can, poured liquid accelerant over himself, set himself on fire, poured it against a police barricade and then collapsed to the ground.

Police said the man entered Collect Pond across from the courthouse around 1:30 p.m. and set himself on fire. Madre said bystanders, court officials and police officers used coats and fire extinguishers to try to put out the blaze and help him.

This appears to be happening as the jury pool for Trump’s trial is being filled – 12 jurors and six alternates have been selected for the trial, which is expected to last about six weeks. The incident occurred just before the court’s lunch break.

New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh told reporters that Azzarillo was taken to the burn unit at Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was reportedly alive but in critical condition.

Kavanagh said four police officers and a court official suffered minor injuries while responding to the fire.

Detective Inspector Joseph Kenny said Azzarillo was born in 1987 and arrived in New York City earlier this week. He said family members contacted by police after the incident were unaware Azarillo was in New York. Kenney said Azarillo’s pamphlet appeared to be “propaganda” about Ponzi schemes and conspiracy theories.

Police said they do not believe Azarillo was targeting any specific person or group.

Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said law enforcement deployed bomb squad search teams as a precaution, but no device was found in the area.

Three law enforcement sources earlier told NBC News that the man appeared to be a follower of certain conspiracy theories and may have emotional issues. Sources said he may have expressed his intention to set himself on fire in advance.

Shortly after the man set himself on fire, he lay on the ground with his whole body on fire. At times, he seemed to be grabbing. Police attempted to put out the blaze using small fire extinguishers but were unsuccessful. Although his body was still on fire, the man tried to sit up. Police later used large fire extinguishers to put out the fire.

Dave, a 73-year-old man from the Upper West Side, watched it all happen. Dave said the man dropped a packet of pamphlets, then picked them up and dropped them again.

“I heard a clicking sound,” he said. “That got our attention. Then he pulled out a jar.”

David said he saw the man start dousing himself in something and then take out a lighter.

“I thought, this could be bad,” he said. “I’m old enough to remember the Vietnam War.”

He said the man then set himself on fire and was soon engulfed in flames. The man didn’t make a sound, and everyone around him looked at him in horror.

“I heard someone screaming, ‘He’s going to set himself on fire,'” said Ed Quinn, a freelance photojournalist who lives in the East Village and was facing court.

“I saw him pour gasoline on his face on purpose,” he said. “He was wearing a gray T-shirt. It soaked his face. It soaked his shirt. Boom, he was up.”

Quinn said it took about a minute for police to arrive.

“The women were begging and screaming to get him out,” he said.