MANHATTAN, NY – A man died after setting himself on fire Friday outside the courthouse where former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial was taking place, according to videos and reports.
The man, whom police identified as Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida, was in the designated protest area outside.
Authorities said Azzarello walked into the center of the park, shuffled around his clothes, opened a backpack and took out and threw numerous pamphlets on the ground. He then pulled out a canister, poured a liquid accelerant on himself, lit himself on fire, fell on a police barrier and then fell to the ground.
Police said the man entered Collect Pond Park, across the street from the courthouse, at around 1:30 p.m. before setting himself on fire. Bystanders, court officers and police used coats and fire extinguishers to try to put out the fire and help him.
It appeared to happen around the time that the jury for Trump’s trial was fully empaneled — with 12 jurors and six alternates selected to sit for a trial that’s expected to last about six weeks. It occurred just before the court took a lunch break.
Azzarello was taken to the burn unit at Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Four police officers and one court officer sustained minor injuries from dealing with the fire.
Law enforcement sources said Azzarello appears to have been a follower of some conspiracy theories and may have had emotional issues. He may have posted his intention to set himself on fire in advance, according to the sources.