Man dies after setting himself on fire outside Manhattan courthouse where Trump faces hush money case – NBC New York

A man who set himself on fire outside the courtroom where former President Donald Trump faces charges in a hush money case has died, New York police said Saturday.

The person, identified as Maxwell Azzarello, set himself on fire after entering Collect Pond Park around 1:30 p.m. Friday, in the designated protest area in front of the Lower Manhattan courthouse where Trump's trial is taking place, according to the chief of the New York Police Department. Jeffrey Maddrey Department.

He began shuffling his clothes and opened a backpack, pulling out some pamphlets and tossing them into the small park. Azzarello then took out a canister, poured liquid accelerant on himself and lit himself, Maddrey said. Police believe the accelerant was a type of alcohol-based substance used for cleaning.

He was able to take a few steps while on fire and walked into a police barrier, then fell, according to Maddrey. The video appeared to show the moments after the self-immolation, as Azzarello lay on the ground burning, at times appearing to convulse.

There was already a heavy NYPD presence outside the building due to the high-profile nature of the trial, and officers rushed to retrieve what appeared to be a fire extinguisher to put out the flames, while others tried to use jackets to cover the fire. Their first attempt to put out the fire failed and a video emerged showing the man trying to stand up as onlookers screamed in shock.

The fire was finally put out minutes later after police and the FDNY brought in a larger fire extinguisher, leaving a smoky scene outside the courthouse as a group of horrified reporters and witnesses looked on.

The man was taken by emergency medical services to a burn unit at New York Cornell Presbyterian Medical Center in critical condition, the FDNY said. He was later pronounced dead by hospital staff, the New York Police Department said. No time of death was given by police.

Six other first responders, including at least three NYPD officers and a court clerk, also suffered minor injuries while responding to the incident, according to firefighters.

The bomb squad swept the park after the incident for possible devices. Nothing was found, police said.

A man sets himself on fire in a protest zone outside Trump's silent trial in Manhattan.

It came as a full jury of 12 and six alternates sat in the case against Trump, the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trial will put Trump in a Manhattan courtroom for weeks, forcing him to juggle his dual roles as a criminal defendant and political candidate in his hotly contested race against President Joe Biden.

For more details on the Trump trial, click here.

Who is the man who set himself on fire?

Maxwell Azzarello, a 37-year-old man from St. Augustine, Florida, arrived in New York earlier in the week, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a news conference. Although it is unclear when exactly he arrived in the city, police said he was in Florida as recently as April 13.

His family didn't know he had gone to New York, Kenny said. Azzarello is originally from Long Island.

Police said it appears he approached Leonard Street, near Collect Pond Park, and set himself on fire a short time later. It was not immediately clear whether he drove to the Lower Manhattan area or took public transportation.

“This gentleman did not violate security protocols. The park has been open to the public. But, of course, we will look into everything and with the magnitude of what is happening here, we will re-evaluate our security with our partners federal,” Maddrey said.

Azzarello allegedly threw leaflets before self-immolating. According to Kenny, the pamphlets were “propaganda-based” and implied a conspiracy theory “regarding Ponzi schemes.” They also contained theories about local educational institutions and the mafia.

Police said it did not appear that Azzarello carried out the incident with the intention of targeting Trump supporters or protesters, and apparently had no intention beyond promoting the conspiracy theories detailed in the brochures.

It was unclear whether Azzarello said anything before bursting into flames, but police had no information to lead them to believe he did. The department looked through his social media and discovered that he had posted something online in advance related to the incident, which shared more information about the conspiracy theories touted in the pamphlets.

The sprawling conspiracy theory he described online involved the U.S. government, a university, political figures and major financial players. His actions do not appear to be a direct and clear response to what was unfolding in the Trump trial courtroom, but rather were done at this specific location and time in order to draw media attention to his conspiracy allegations.

Kenny said it did not appear Azzarello had any criminal history in New York. Police records show he was arrested on four misdemeanor charges including criminal mischief, property damage and disturbing the peace in Florida in August 2023.

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