Outside a New York court where former US President Donald Trump’s hush money trial was taking place, a dramatic incident unfolded when a man set himself on fire in full view of television cameras.
The man, identified as Max Azzarello, a 37-year-old described as a “conspiracy theorist,” traveled from Florida to New York and distributed pamphlets promoting conspiracy theories before dousing himself in an accelerant and igniting. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries.
The New York Police Department indicated that the man’s actions did not appear to be targeted at Trump or anyone else involved in the trial.
Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard characterized him as a conspiracy theorist, and one of the pamphlets he distributed referenced “evil billionaires,” though it did not specifically mention Trump.
Witnesses described the incident as horrifying, with the man burning for several minutes before the fire was extinguished.
This startling event occurred shortly after jury selection for the trial was completed, with opening statements scheduled to begin on Monday in a case related to hush money paid to an adult film star.
