By Saumya Joshi |
Dramatic scenes were witnessed outside a New York court during former US President Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial, the first-ever such trial involving an ex-US President, when a man set himself on fire and burned for several minutes in full view of television cameras before the fire was extinguished.
The man, identified as Max Azzarello and described as a “conspiracy theorist” by police, travelled from Florida to New York and arrived at Collect Pond Park outside the courthouse. There, the 37-year-old reportedly distributed pamphlets promoting conspiracy theories scattered them around, doused himself in an accelerant, and set himself on fire, according to officials and witnesses.
Lok Sabha Election 2024 Constituencies | Candidate List | Election Dates Max Azzarello. Image courtesy: https://twitter.com/TheDiviner2023 FIR Filed Against DK Shivakumar Over Poll Code Violation He was admitted to the hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to his injuries.
The New York Police Department indicated that the man did not appear to be targeting Trump or anyone else involved in the trial. Tarik Sheppard, a deputy commissioner with the Police Department, stated at a news conference that they are currently characterizing him as a conspiracy theorist. One of the pamphlets he distributed contained references to “evil billionaires,” although visible portions did not mention Trump.
A witness, who chose to remain anonymous, described the incident as “pretty horrifying,” noting that the man was on fire for a considerable period. This shocking incident occurred shortly after the completion of jury selection for the trial, paving the way for prosecutors and defence attorneys to present opening statements on Monday in a case related to hush money paid to an adult film star.
