Local media reported that on Friday, a man attempted to set himself on fire outside of the New York court where Donald Trump is being tried. The reasons for his actions are still unknown. The man ignited into a human torch before police arrived and used a fire extinguisher to contain the flames, as reported by CNN.
The incident took place after the jury and substitutes had been selected for the case against Trump for illegal financing. Several videos circulating on social media show a person on fire on the ground, with individuals rushing to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher. The injured man was subsequently taken away by emergency services on a stretcher.
The entire jury for the Trump case, consisting of 12 people and six substitutes, had just been selected moments before the incident occurred. The start of the first criminal trial of a former President of the United States is imminent. The fire took place in a park across from the courthouse, which has been a focal point for protesters and media covering the jury selection process for the Trump trial.