A man who set himself on fire in front of the New York courthouse where former US President Donald Trump is being tried has died.
Maxwell Azzarello was “pronounced dead by hospital staff,” police told NBC News in a phone call Saturday morning local time.
No specific time of death was given.
Azzarello, a 30-something from St Augustine, Florida, threw fliers about conspiracy theories into the air before setting himself on fire in a designated protest area for pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators on Friday.
He took a can containing what is believed to be an alcohol-based accelerant from his bag before dousing himself in the fluid and setting himself on fire, police said.
Officers and civilians rushed to the protest area and tried to put out the flames using coats and fire extinguishers.
New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh told reporters that Azzarello was taken to the burn unit at Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was described as alive but in critical condition.
Four NYPD officers suffered minor injuries from exposure to the fire, authorities said.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters: “The flyers appear to be based on propaganda, almost a conspiracy theory type of flyer.
“Some information about a Ponzi scheme and the fact that some of our local educational institutions are fronts for the mob. So there’s a bit of a conspiracy theory going on here.”
The fire started after jury selection for from Trump silent trial concluded with 12 people, and six alternatives, chosen to decide whether the former US president covered up payments to women who claimed to have had affairs with him.
The Trump campaign released a statement Friday afternoon offering “condolences to the traumatized witnesses” following the fire.
Donald Trump in court on Friday. Photo: Sarah Yenesel/Pool via Reuters
Video shared on social media showed Azzarello lying on his back on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse, while the lower part of his body was on fire.
Another man sprayed him with a fire extinguisher which appeared to put out the fire.
Police officers were seen rushing to the scene as the fire was extinguished.
Azzarello had no specific target, police say
Kenny said Azzarello was born in 1987 and arrived in New York City earlier this week, NBC reported.
He said police contacted members of his family after the incident, but they were unaware he was in town.
Police said they do not believe Azzarello targeted any particular person or group.
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Historic trial will begin on Monday despite Trump’s objections
The landmark case, the first criminal trial of a former US president, is set to begin on Monday after a last-minute attempt by Trump to halt proceedings over his claims that the jury selection process was unfairly rushed was rejected by an appeals court judge.
Trump is accused of criminally altering business records to cover up a $130,000 (£104,200) payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, during his 2016 election campaign.
Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who was paid $150,000 (£120,000), claim to have had sex with Trump.
His lawyers say the payment was made to spare him and his family embarrassment, not to help him win the election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He faces three other criminal cases that could go to trial.
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