A member of the US Air Force who set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., has tragically passed away, according to a U.S. Air Force spokesperson. The man’s identity has not been disclosed as authorities are working to inform his family. He was an active-duty airman with the U.S. Air Force, as reported by military news site Task and Purpose.
The Metropolitan Police Department responded to the incident on Sunday after the U.S. Secret Service reported that an individual had set themselves on fire in front of the embassy. The man was extinguished by members of the Secret Service’s uniformed division before being transported to a local hospital by D.C. Fire and EMS. At the time, D.C. Fire stated that the man was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. There has been no confirmation whether the self-immolation was intended as a form of protest.
No one from the Israeli Embassy was harmed during the incident, according to an embassy spokesperson. Police are collaborating with the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to investigate the incident. The bomb squad also responded to a suspicious vehicle linked to the individual, although details were not disclosed.
It was noted that the man who set himself on fire, while shouting “Free Palestine,” had posted a video online prior to being taken to the hospital. This incident marks the second of its kind, following a similar incident in December outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta.