(NewsNation) — A man lit himself on fire outside a New York City courthouse where jury selection was concluding in the hush money trial against former President Donald Trump.
Authorities identified the man as Maxwell Azzarello, born in 1987, from St. Augustine, Florida. Azzarello was transported to the burn unit at Cornell and remains there in critical condition.
It’s not clear what led to Azzarello setting himself on fire. NewsNation’s Laura Ingle reported hearing a scream before witnessing the man in flames. She later described seeing a bystander try and help put the flames out with a coat before another showed up with a fire extinguisher.
According to police, Azzarello entered a park across the street from the courthouse before pouring an accelerant on himself and lighting himself on fire. The accelerant is believed to be a substance used in cleaning.
Multiple witnesses said they saw Azarello throwing flyers out prior to the fire, but it wasn’t clear what was on them. Police confirmed that information and described the flyers as “conspiracy-oriented.”
A witness told WPIX that Azzarello poured a flammable liquid on himself and told people to stand back before lighting it. The witness said the man also made statements of a political nature.
Fred Gates, who saw what happened, said he at first thought Azzarello was just pretending to pour an accelerant on himself but still alerted police of a potential problem.
“He had a backpack. He took the backpack off, put it on the ground and opened it up very calmly. Took out two cans, half-size gas cans,” Gates said. “Doused one side with one and started to douse the other side with the other. At this time, I started to run away.”
Gates said Azzarello’s appearance was unremarkable, describing him as a short, skinny white man who appeared to be in his 20s.
Authorities said there is no ongoing safety concern, though a bomb truck was seen arriving on the scene. In a press conference, police said no explosive devices had been found, but they were continuing to search the area as a precaution.
Four officers who responded to the incident received minor injuries but are described as being in stable condition.