USA: death of a man who set himself on fire before the court where Donald Trump is being tried

A man who set himself on fire on Friday, April 19, outside former US President Donald Trump’s criminal trial has died, the NYPD said Saturday.

The victim doused himself with an “alcohol-based substance used as a cleaning agent” before setting himself on fire, police said at a news conference shortly after the tragedy. Brought to hospital in “critical condition” but “alive,” he died from his injuries several hours later, US media reported.

Who is this man ?

The victim was identified as Maxwell Azzarello, a Florida man born in 1987, NYPD said at a press briefing.

“He arrived in New York earlier this week,” authorities added. They said Maxwell Azzarello’s family didn’t know he was in Manhattan.

What exactly happened?

The events occurred on Friday, April 19, around 13:30 local time. A man who was in the square opposite the courthouse where Donald Trump is being tried set himself on fire. He doused himself with an “alcohol-based substance used as a cleaning agent” before setting himself on fire, police said at a news conference shortly after the tragedy.

Judging by the video from the scene published on social networks, he turned into a living torch. Several witnesses rushed to his side, and then the police joined them. A fire extinguisher was used to extinguish the fire.

The man, who was in “critical condition” but “alive,” was taken to hospital. He died from his injuries several hours later, police said, without providing further details.

What are his motives?

At this time, the man’s motives remain unclear. During the press conference, police explained that he threw leaflets into the air and then doused himself with liquid and lit a lighter.

According to the New York Times, the scene took place in the square across from the court, an area reserved for Donald Trump supporters. “This individual did not violate security protocols,” said Co-Police Chief Jeffrey Maddrey. “The park is open to the public,” he added.

According to local police spokesman Joseph Kenny, the leaflets talked about “conspiracy theories.” “There is information about Ponzi-type schemes and that some of our schools are fronts for the mafia,” the official said.

One witness interviewed by Reuters mentioned a leaflet called “The True History of the World” that talked about “evil billionaires.” However, according to law enforcement agencies, at the moment no mention of Donald Trump has been found. The former president does not appear to have been targeted by this act.

Donald Trump is on trial for making hidden payments to buy the silence of former porn star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election, which he narrowly defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.