A serving US Air Force officer was in critical condition in a hospital after reportedly setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, on Sunday afternoon and livestreaming the results. A distressing video was broadcast and uploaded to the social media channel Twitch on Saturday afternoon.
In the disturbing video, a man is seen dressed in combat uniform standing in front of the embassy gate and identifying himself as a member of the US Air Force as he declares, "I will no longer be complicit in genocide." The New York Times and Washington Post reported officials confirming that the footage matched the person involved in the incident.
Shocking Scene
"I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest," the man apparently said before setting himself alight and repeatedly shouting "Free Palestine!" the US Air Force officer shouts as flames spread over his body.
The name used by the man in the video, which has not been revealed publicly, reportedly matches a LinkedIn account for an active-duty Air Force officer from Texas, according to the Times.
A spokesperson for the Air Force told Task & Purpose that the person is an active-duty airman. However, as of now, the identity has not been officially confirmed.
Authorities responded to the embassy at around 1 p.m. on Sunday and found the man with burn injuries, according to the Metropolitan Police Department as reported by DailyMail.com.
The man was rushed to the hospital by DC Fire and EMS with injuries described as "critical and life-threatening."
In the footage, authorities at the scene could be heard asking, "May I help you, sir?" and yelling at the man to get down on the ground while he was on fire.
One person at the scene was seen using a fire extinguisher to douse the flames, while another appeared to draw his gun. The disturbing footage was quickly taken down on Sunday afternoon due to its violation of the streaming app's guidelines.
The Air Force said it was unable to verify reports regarding the person's active serviceman status. Both the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and DC Fire and EMS declined to comment on the allegations.
Desperate Attempt to Save the Man
When first responders arrived at the scene, members of the US Secret Service had already extinguished the flames, according to the fire service.
A spokesperson from the Secret Service told DailyMail.com, "The U.S. Secret Service, Uniformed Division responded to the 3400 Block of International Drive, NW, DC regarding an individual that was experiencing a possible medical / mental health emergency."
"DC Fire & EMS responded to the scene and treated the individual prior to transport to an area hospital."
No embassy staff were reported injured during the fire, as mentioned by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to GLZ Radio. The embassy said that the individual involved was not known to them before the incident.
As of 3 p.m. on Sunday, the man was still alive but in critical condition, according to information from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are investigating in collaboration with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Initial footage indicated additional fire trucks and a hazmat crew arriving at the scene to inspect the man's car, as reported by freelance reporter Andrew Leyden on X. Video footage from Alexis Wainwright of WUSA9 suggested that the vehicle in question was a silver Prius.
The incident comes amid heightened political tensions following a terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 and Israel's subsequent military operations in the Gaza Strip.
