Multiple law enforcement agencies arrived at the Israeli Embassy on Sunday afternoon after a man set himself on fire infront of the building.
Andrew Leyden
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Andrew Leyden
Multiple law enforcement agencies arrived at the Israeli Embassy on Sunday afternoon after a man set himself on fire infront of the building.
Andrew Leyden
A man is in critical condition after setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Sunday afternoon, according to multiple law enforcement agencies.
The Air Force said the man was an active duty airman.
The U.S. Secret Service said it was responding to reports of an individual experiencing a possible medical or mental health emergency. Local police arrived around 1 p.m. ET.
The fire has since been extinguished. The Israeli Embassy in D.C. said none of its staff were injured.
Vito Maggiolo, a spokesperson for D.C. Fire and EMS, said the man has been transported to the hospital, where he has “critical life threatening injuries.”
As of Sunday evening, NPR was not able to independently verify the man’s identity or motives.
Andrew Leyden, a freelance journalist based in D.C., told NPR he saw burn marks near the Israeli Embassy’s lawn, where the embassy had placed flags to represent the hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Lynn Sweet, the Washington bureau chief at the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote on X that there was a growing police presence outside the Israeli Embassy earlier in the afternoon, including local law enforcement searching a vehicle out of “precaution.”
What happened outside Israel Embassy in Washington DC: Secret Service spokesperson told @Suntimes “Looks like someone attempted to set themselves on fire. DC Fire running point. Crews are searching his vehicle as a precaution” pic.twitter.com/dTKDNqtwEW
— Lynn Sweet (@lynnsweet) February 25, 2024
The Metropolitan Police Department said the vehicle possibly connected to the individual has been cleared of any hazardous material.
This is a developing story.