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The incident happened in a park outside the courthouse just minutes after the final jury selections were being made in Trump’s hush money trial.
NEW YORK — New York authorities say a Florida man in his mid-30s is in critical condition after he set himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse where jury selection was taking place Friday in Donald Trump’s hush money criminal case.
Authorities said in a press conference Friday afternoon that the man walked into the park outside the courthouse around 1:30 p.m. Eastern and pulled pamphlets and a canister out of his bag.
They said the man started throwing the pamphlets around the park, then poured an accelerant on himself and set himself on fire. Investigators said they believe the accelerant was a substance used for cleaning.
Officials identified the man as Max Azzarello from St. Augustine, Florida. Police said they believe he arrived in New York sometime earlier this week.
Emergency crews rushed him to the hospital, where he was in critical condition, as of early Friday afternoon.
Authorities described the pamphlets he threw out as “propaganda based” and filled with conspiracy theories about things like Ponzi schemes and the mob.
Investigators said Friday afternoon that the preliminary information doesn’t show any connection between Azzarello and the Trump trial happening inside the courthouse.
Video from the scene showed people rushing over to douse him with a fire extinguisher and to try to bat the flames away.
CNN anchor Laura Coates was live on the air when the incident occurred and described people rushing over and removing their coats to try and extinguish the flames.
Fox News was also live on the air at the time, and briefly showed footage of the fire on their broadcast before cutting away.
The incident happened just as the final selections were being made in Trump’s trial. All 12 jurors and six alternates were selected, with opening statements set to begin next week.
Before Friday, demonstrations outside the trial were largely quiet, according to Politico. Despite the historic nature of the trial, the outlet reported that Trump supporters outside the courthouse were greatly outnumbered by members of the media reporting on the proceedings inside.
Judge Juan M. Merchan, seemingly unaware of what was unfolding outside the courthouse on Friday afternoon, told newly selected jurors in Trump’s hush money trial that opening statements are set for Monday at 9:30 a.m.
Merchan is expected to hold a hearing Friday at 3:15 p.m. on the prosecution’s desire to question the former president, should he testify, regarding his recent civil court losses.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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