Man Sets Himself on Fire Outside Donald Trump’s Courthouse: Latest Updates

Man sets himself on fire outside former President Donald Trump’s New York City courthouse happy money test proceeded to die, police said.

Witnesses said they saw the man – who the New York Police Department identified as 37-year-old Max Azzarello – pour liquid over his head and set himself on fire at 1:39 pm local time on Friday.

In a press release immediately after the incident, the NYPD said that Azzarello, a Florida resident who had arrived in New York City earlier this week, walked into Collect Pond Park, he opened a book bag, and scattered papers and leaflets on the ground before he settled down. light up Police described the materials as “some kind of conspiracy theory pamphlet.”

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Azzarello then crashed into a police barrier. Civilians and court officials used coats and fire extinguishers to try to put out the fire, the NYPD said, and the New York City Fire Department responded, eventually extinguishing the fire.

A police officer uses a fire extinguisher as emergency workers respond to a fire outside the courthouse where President Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial is underway takes place in New York, April 19, 2024.

Reuters / Brendan McDermid

The FDNY said Azzarello was transported to New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, which has a burn center, in critical condition.

The NYPD confirmed to CBS News overnight that Azzarello had died Friday night.

Four officers who responded to the fire suffered minor injuries.

Azzarello had also posted a statement on social media, officials said. Although the incident happened near the courthouse where Trump’s trial is taking place, officials said Azzarello did not appear to be targeting a specific person or group and said he appeared to be a conspiracy theorist. it was

One witness described fliers thrown by Azzarello, apparently while making allegations about New York University.

NYPD reviewing security outside Trump impeachment trial after man set on fire

“I heard this clattering, and it was these papers that he had raised in the air,” said the witness. “That got our attention and – he got his attention, anyway… then he took out a can and poured it all over himself. And at that point, I thought, ‘Oh… this is going to be awesome.”

“It happened so fast – what do you do?” another witness said.

Allie Weintraub contributed to this report.

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