An active-duty member of the US Air Force who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC on Sunday has died, authorities said.
Aaron Bushnell, 25, said that he would “no longer be complicit in genocide” and that his suffering was minimal compared to that of Palestinians as the humanitarian crisis persists in Gaza, in a video he taped of the incident obtained by CNN.
He then sets the recording device on the ground before pouring a liquid over himself and igniting it while yelling “free Palestine” repeatedly.
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He eventually collapses as police officers rush to douse the flames with fire extinguishers.
Bushnell was transported to a local hospital, where he died, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said in a statement.
Local police are working with the US Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate the incident, which took place about 1pm local time.
Bushnell’s identity was confirmed by MPD on Sunday. The Air Force also confirmed his identity on Monday and said he was a cyber defence operations specialist assigned to the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Wing.
He served with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron and had been on active duty since May 2020, according to the Air Force.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Airman Bushnell. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and we ask that you respect their privacy during this difficult time,” Col. Celina Noyes, the commander of the 70th ISR Wing, said in a statement.
The 70th ISR Wing gathers intelligence across air, space and cyberspace, according to its website, working alongside the National Security Agency in supporting intelligence needs across the Air Force and the military.
A spokesperson from the Israeli Embassy said no embassy staff were injured in the incident.
In December, a person set themselves on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta in what police said was “likely an extreme act of political protest.”
A Palestinian flag that was part of the protest was recovered at the scene, and gasoline was used as an accelerant, police and fire officials told reporters at a news conference.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed nearly 30,000 people, with survivors dying of starvation, and unsafe conditions in the strip prompting pauses on UN food aid deliveries.