Horror as Max Azzarello lights himself on fire outside Donald Trump’s New York City trial with ‘body engulfed in flames’
A MAN lit himself on fire outside the courthouse where Donald Trump's criminal trial is taking place on Friday.
Maxwell Azzarello, 37, died hours after dousing himself with an alcohol-based cleaning substance and lighting himself on fire outside the lower Manhattan courthouse, where jury selection had concluded in Trump's hush money payment trial only minutes before.
Azzarello was standing inside the designated protest area for Trump supporters outside of the downtown courthouse, New York police said during a press conference.
He doused himself with a liquid at around 1:30 pm in Collect Pond Park, across the street from the courthouse.
Moments later, Azzarello set himself on fire as bright orange flames engulfed him and the surrounding area.
Terrified witnesses screamed and evacuated the area as law enforcement officers struggled to access the fire due to the barricades, according to The New York Times.
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"The male, he takes a couple of steps while he's on fire and then eventually falls onto a police barrier and falls down to the ground," NYPD chief of department Jeffrey Maddrey said.
"He's on fire, another area of the park where the accelerant spilt is also on fire.
"Civilians, court officers, members of the police department, they run into the park. They make efforts to put him out, they use their coats, they use fire extinguishers.
"Eventually, FDNY responds, and we're able to extinguish the fire."
Azzarello, who is from St. Augustine, Florida, was burning for approximately three minutes.
Authorities loaded the charred man on a stretcher and into an ambulance.
Azzarello was transported to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition and died hours later on Friday night.
A motive for the self-immolation has yet to be determined.
A court officer was also taken to the hospital after suffering smoke inhalation.
CNN journalists reporting live outside the courthouse reported smelling "burning human flesh" as the horrific incident unfolded.
I see a totally charred human being.
Laura Coates
"Barricades are around the person... no movement from the human being on the ground," CNN reporter Laura Coates said live on the air.
"NYPD is on the scene, trying to figure out what to do next... I can smell smoke. Engulfed in flames... burning human being lying on the ground motionless.
"I see a totally charred human being... appears to be a man."
Police said a bomb squad unit was deployed to search the area as a precaution. No explosive devices have been found.
Everything we know about the man who set himself on fire outside Trump's trial
On Friday, a man set himself on fire across the street from the downtown Manhattan courtroom where jury selection in former President Donald Trump's criminal trial concluded.
- The horrific scene unfolded at 1:30 pm.
- The man, identified as Max Azzarello, was standing in a designated protest area outside the Manhattan courthouse.
- Azzarello pulled out what police described as an alcohol-based cleaning substance from his backpack and doused himself with it.
- He proceeded to light himself on fire.
- Azzarello burned for approximately 3 minutes before he was extinguished and rushed away.
- The man tossed a conspiracy-laden manifesto in the air before the self-immolation act.
- Azzarello was taken to a nearby burn unit in critical condition.
- He died hours later.
- NYPD officials said Azzarello is from St. Augustine, Florida, and his family was unaware he was in New York.
'PROPAGANDA-BASED PAMPHLETS'
Law enforcement officials said Maxwell Azzarello arrived in New York City this week from Florida.
Family members told investigators they were unaware Azzarello was in New York.
Police said Azzarello walked up to the publicly opened protest area of the park, opened his backpack, and began throwing pamphlets.
Azzarello then pulled out the flammable liquid and doused imself in it before setting himself ablaze.
Police described the pamphlets as "propaganda-based."
"Almost like a conspiracy theory-type of pamphlet, some information in regards to Ponzi schemes, and the fact that some of our local educational institutes are fronts for the mob," police said.
"So, a little bit of conspiracy theory going on here."
Photos of the scattered pamphlets on the ground appear to show them referencing former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Al Gore, and Jeffrey Epstein.
The flyers also appear to have described a conspiracy involving cryptocurrency.
Azzarello's motives remain unclear, but there does not appear to be a direct connection to the Trump trial at this time.
TRUMP TRIAL SET TO BEGIN
The chaotic scene unfolded moments after jury selection, including the six alternate jurors, in Donald Trump's hush money election interference trial was completed.
"We have our full panel," Judge Juan Merchan declared at the conclusion of Friday's hearing.
The historic trial stems from a $130,000 payment Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, allegedly made to adult star Stormy Daniels a month before the 2016 presidential election.
The alleged payment was made to keep Daniels, 45, quiet from going public with allegations about her affair with Trump.
He is accused of hiding the payments so the potentially damaging information would not become public before the 2016 election.
Trump, 77, has repeatedly denied having a sexual encounter with the porn star.
The former president has called the trial an "assault on America."
Trump is required to be present for the entire trial, which could last as long as eight weeks.
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He has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records, a low-level felony punishable by up to four years in prison.
Opening statements are expected to begin on Monday without any delay.