On Friday, a man attempted to set himself on fire in front of the New York court where Donald Trump is being tried. The man turned into a human torch before police arrived and used a fire extinguisher to contain the flames. The incident took place just minutes before the jury selection process for the Trump trial began.
Several videos circulating on social media show a person on the ground on fire, with people rushing to put out the flames using a fire extinguisher. The entire jury, consisting of 12 people and six substitutes, had been selected just minutes before the incident.
Emergency services quickly arrived and transported the injured man on a stretcher. Authorities were able to extinguish the fire after it had already caused significant damage to property and endangered nearby pedestrians. The start of the first criminal trial of a former president of the United States is rapidly approaching.
The fire took place in a park across the street from the courthouse, which has been a gathering place for protesters and media covering the jury selection process for the Trump trial. It remains unclear what motivated this individual to take such drastic measures in front of such high-profile proceedings.