A man set himself on fire Friday outside the courthouse where at almost the same moment, full jury selection was completed in the unprecedented criminal trial of Donald Trump.
It was not clear whether the self-immolation had anything to do with Trump’s case, but the gruesome incident occurred on the street outside the building where the ex-president and current White House hopeful sat on the 15th floor.
The full jury of 12 New Yorkers and six alternates had just been completed when live television images suddenly turned to smoke gushing from what was reported to be a person on fire.
A policeman could be seen hurrying with a fire extinguisher and CNN’s reporter said there was a heavy stench of burning flesh and fuel.
Burning clothes were strewn at the site, which was locked down by authorities, while ambulances lined up nearby on standby, an Agence France-Presse correspondent at the scene said, describing a strong smell of burning chemicals.
Video seemingly taken by witnesses and posted on social media showed a person standing engulfed in flames, then falling to the ground as police and plain-clothes officers rushed to beat out the blaze.
One patrolman used a small fire extinguisher in an attempt to control the blaze.
A witness who gave his name as Dave, 73, said he saw a man throwing pamphlets before dousing himself with an unspecified liquid and lighting himself on fire.
Trump complains jury selection moving too fast in hush money trial
Trump complains jury selection moving too fast in hush money trial
“A male did light himself on fire outside of the Supreme Courthouse. We’re still gathering details from the field,” a New York Police Department spokesman said.
New York’s police department had promised a major deployment to ensure the trial passes off safely, with the force’s head of intelligence John Hart calling it a “major challenge”.
The fire department did not respond to a request for comment, but media reported the man had been taken away for medical treatment.
The incident happened in a park opposite the 100 Centre Street courthouse, an area used by authorities to hold both pro-Trump and anti-Trump protesters, as well as by some members of the media.
It appeared hearings in the Trump trial would resume after lunch despite the incident, but later than usual at3 pm.
Judge Juan Merchan has said opening arguments would start on Monday if jury selection had been finished.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of business fraud as part of a scheme to cover up hush money paid to a porn star so that the story would not come out just before the 2016 presidential election, in which he beat Hillary Clinton.
More to follow …