Man sets himself on fire outside Trump trial courthouse

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the Lower Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial , PIX11 News confirmed.

The man walked into the park around 1:30 p.m., opened a bookbag, and threw pamphlets containing conspiracy theories into the air, according to NYPD Chief of Department James Maddrey. Police said he used an alcohol-based accelerant to light himself on fire.

A witness told PIX11 News they were standing next to the man when he poured a flammable liquid on himself, told her to stand back, and then lit himself on fire. The witness said he made statements of a political nature before the incident.

People rushed over, doused him with a fire extinguisher, and tried to bat the flames away. Emergency crews rushed the man away on a stretcher.

Police have identified the individual as 37-year-old Max Azzarello. He was in critical condition and likely to die, police said. They said he is a known conspiracy theorist.

Someone who claimed to be Azzarello sent an email to news media, including PIX11 News, explaining his reasoning behind his self-immolation protest.

Azzarello identified himself as an investigative researcher and said he set himself on fire to “draw attention to an urgent and important discovery.” His letter referenced a conspiracy theory related to the United States government and its allies.

“These claims sound like fantastical conspiracy theory, but they are not. They are proof of conspiracy. If you investigate this mountain of research, you will prove them too. If you learn a great deal about Ponzi schemes, you will discover that our life is a lie. If you follow this story and the links below, you will discover the rotten truth of ‘post-truth America’. You will learn the scariest and stupidest story in world history. And you will realize that we are all in a desperate state of emergency that requires your action. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you.”

Max Azzarello

PIX11 News has chosen not to report the letter in its entirety.

“We’re very concerned,” Maddrey said. “This man did not breach security.”

The fire happened in Collect Pond Park, located across the street from the courthouse that has been a gathering point for protesters and media outlets covering jury selection for Trump’s hush money trial . The area was searched for possible bombs. No devices were found, police said.

A full jury of 12 people and six alternates had been seated in Trump’s hush money case just minutes before the fire, drawing the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president a step closer to opening statements. As Trump returned to the courtroom around 3:15 p.m., he did not respond to questions about Azzarello.

Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here .

This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.

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