A man who set himself on fire in front of the New York courthouse where former US President Donald Trump is on trial has died, announced NBC News, Sky’s US partner.
Maxwell Azzarello was “pronounced deceased by hospital staff,” police told NBC News in a phone call Saturday morning local time.
No precise time of death was given.
Mr. Azzarello, aged in his thirties, from St. Augustine, Florida, threw conspiracy theory pamphlets into the air before setting himself on fire Friday in a protest zone reserved for pro and anti demonstrators. -Trump.
He took a container containing what appeared to be an alcohol-based accelerant from his bag, before dousing himself with liquid and setting himself on fire, police said.
Police officers and civilians ran into the protest area and attempted to put out the flames using coats and fire extinguishers.
Four NYPD officers suffered minor injuries following a fire, authorities said.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters: “The pamphlets appear to be propaganda-based, almost a conspiracy theory pamphlet of sorts. Some information regarding a Ponzi scheme and that some of our local educational institutions are fronts for the mob. . So, there’s a bit of a conspiracy theory here. »
The fire broke out after jury selection For Trump’s The silent trial ended with 12 people, and six alternatives, chosen to decide whether the former US president concealed payments made to women who claimed to have had affairs with him.
The Trump campaign released a statement Friday afternoon offering its “condolences to the traumatized witnesses” after the fire.
Speaking before Mr. Azzarello’s death, Karoline Leavitt, national secretary of the Trump campaign, said: “Not knowing the motivations behind this sickening situation, it is difficult to make any definitive remarks, other than to say that we are grateful only to the best of our current knowledge. , no one other than the individual in question was injured.”
A video shared on social media shows Mr. Azzarello lying on his back on the sidewalk outside the courthouse while the lower part of his body is on fire.
Another man sprays him with a fire extinguisher which appears to put out the fire.
Police officers are seen rushing to the scene as the fire is put out.
Ed Quinn, a freelance photojournalist who was outside the court at the time, told NBC News: “I heard someone yell, ‘He’s going to light himself!’
“I see him throwing gasoline on his face, very deliberately.
“He was wearing a gray T-shirt. His face was soaked. His shirt was soaked. Boom, he went upstairs.”
Mr Quinn said it took about a minute for police to arrive.
He continued: “The women were begging, screaming, turn it off, put it outside.”
Landmark trial to begin Monday despite Trump’s objections
The historic trial, the first in a session of a former US president, is due to begin on Monday after the composition of the jury is chosen on Friday.
A last-minute attempt by Mr. Trump to halt the trial over his allegations that the jury selection process was unfairly rushed was rejected by an appeals court judge.
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