UPDATE, 12:10 PM: The man who set himself on fire outside Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York City is alive, but in “critical condition,” according to the New York Police.
The individual has been identified as a “Max Azzarello”, the NYPD said in a press conference on the site of the incident.
PREVIOUSLY, 10:45 AM: A man has set himself on fire outside the New York City courthouse where the Donald Trump trial is underway.
The incident was covered by CNN in real time, with anchor Laura Coates, outside the courthouse, at first telling viewers that there was an active shooter before quickly saying that a “man has set fire to himself,” as the network cameras then turned to show the flames in the park across the street. “A man has emblazoned himself outside the courthouse,” she said. She then reported the smell of burning flesh.
“There is chaos and it is happening,” Coates said.
The reason behind why the man lit himself on fire is also unknown.
Pamphlets found nearby included information on a website apparently written by a man who referred to himself as an investigative researcher and who has been posting on the trial. “I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial,” the headline read. The site referred to the tragedy as an “extreme act of protest” over the state of modern capitalism.
After showing the flames for about 15 seconds, CNN turned back to Coates, and she recounted what she was seeing to viewers.
“I see a person whose body appears to be on the ground surrounded by officers. … The fire is still burning,” Coates said during the harrowing moment. She was joined by Evan Perez.
“We have no idea who this person is or the why. A minute before we saw this happen, you heard shouts happening,” she said. “You saw a Trump flag that was running from the area.” About 50 seconds in, she said that she could see “arms that continue to be engulfed in flames.” She said an EMT officer was taking off his backpack and trying to render aid.
“You can continue to smell the burning of flesh, the burning of an agent,” she said.
Trump has not left the courthouse, where he has been watching jury selection. Around the time that the incident occurred, the final of six alternates had been sworn in, joining with the 12 jurors. There has been a break in the proceedings, and a law enforcement source said that discussions are underway on whether they will continue this afternoon.
“We are still gathering information,” a NYPD spokesperson told Deadline this morning of the incident. The department is expected to release information on what happened later today. Two NYPD officers acted promptly to extinguish the man on fire in the park. The police officers are unharmed. The condition of the man who set himself on fire is unknown at the moment, though we know he was taken to a hospital about 20 minutes after the incident happened.
The terrifying incident occurred just as Trump’s criminal trial was starting an afternoon break. Networks have set ups outside the courthouse for correspondents and legal experts to talk about the case.
While first referring to “fire breaks out” on their lower third, the news cablers all covered the incident live. MSNBC and CNN stayed on the Trump trial and the man setting himself on fire, Fox News cut to the White House press briefing from Karine Jean-Pierre. The press secretary spoke on neither the fire nor Israel’s reported multi-pronged attack on Iran last night.