A man named Max Azzarello set himself on fire outside of the New York courthouse where the jury selection for former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial was taking place. Azzarello, a resident of St. Augustine, Florida, was in his mid-30s and was taken to the Cornell Burn Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital in critical condition. He had poured an accelerant on himself and ignited the fire across from Manhattan Supreme Court, where protestors were cordoned off. A freelance photojournalist witnessed the incident and described seeing Azzarello deliberately pouring gasoline on his face before setting himself ablaze.
The flames from the fire reached 20 feet into the air before police arrived and extinguished the fire using a large extinguisher. Azzarello’s motives for the self-immolation were unknown, but papers containing conspiracy theories were found around him. In April 2023, he had filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court accusing multiple defendants, including the Clinton Foundation, various financial firms, and Mark Cuban, of participating in a fraudulent scheme that caused him financial and psychological harm. The lawsuit was dismissed in October after Azzarello failed to respond to a court order.
The incident occurred while the last jury spots were being filled and Trump was inside the courthouse. Judge Juan Merchan had been scheduled to hold a hearing on the admissibility of past conduct by Trump as evidence at the trial. Those inside the courtroom, including Trump, were told they could leave the building. The area around the courthouse had been filled with journalists, protesters, and passersby interested in the trial site. New York City Mayor Eric Adams was seen outside the building earlier in the week.
A spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, Karoline Leavitt, issued a statement expressing thanks that no one besides Azzarello was hurt in the incident. She also extended condolences to witnesses at the scene and gratitude to first responders. The statement underscored the need to work towards “Making America Great Again” in the face of events like this. The motivation behind Azzarello’s actions remains unclear, and the incident is still under investigation. The courthouse in lower Manhattan, situated near City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge, was the backdrop for this shocking event. Updates on the situation are awaited as the story develops.
