US Air Force serviceman sets self on fire outside the Israeli Embassy.
An active-duty member of the United States Air Force is in critical condition after an alarming incident unfolded outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, as reported by CNN and confirmed by both the Air Force and local authorities.
According to the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, officers responded to a distressing scene on the 3500 block of International Drive, NW, around 1:00 PM after receiving a call for assistance from the United States Secret Service.
The call pertained to an individual who had set themselves on fire in front of an embassy within the block.
The man, who identified himself as Aaron Bushnell in a video capturing the incident, uttered poignant words before the dramatic act, stating, “I will no longer be complicit in genocide.”
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He emphasized that his actions, however extreme, pale in comparison to the suffering endured by Palestinians.
In the footage, the individual then proceeds to pour an unidentified liquid over himself while chanting “Free Palestine” fervently before collapsing.
Quick intervention from police officers was crucial, as they utilized fire extinguishers to douse the flames engulfing the Air Force member.
Rose Riley, a spokesperson for the US Air Force, confirmed the involvement of an active-duty Airman in the distressing episode.
The injured individual was swiftly transported to a nearby hospital by the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department.
Fortunately, no embassy staff were harmed in the incident, as affirmed by a spokesperson from the Israeli Embassy.
Vito Maggiolo, a public information officer from DC Fire, noted that by the time firefighters arrived at the scene, the US Secret Service had already managed to extinguish the fire.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department, the Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are collaborating to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
This unsettling event comes just months after a similar occurrence outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta, where an individual set themselves ablaze in what authorities believe was an extreme political protest. In that instance, a Palestinian flag was found at the scene, and gasoline was reportedly used as an accelerant.
The incident sheds light on the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where tensions between Israel and Hamas have resulted in significant casualties.
As US Air Force serviceman sets self on fire outside Israeli Embassy, Israeli authorities claim that Hamas‘ surprise attacks on October 7 claimed the lives of 1,200 people, prompting a vigorous response from the Benjamin Netanyahu-led government, resulting in nearly 30,000 fatalities in Gaza, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry.
