New York:

A man set himself on fire and died on Friday outside a New York courthouse where jury selection was wrapping up in Donald Trump’s historic hush-money trial, but officials said he did not appear to be targeting Trump.

The man was burned for several minutes in full view of television cameras set up outside the courthouse where the first criminal trial of the former US president was taking place.

NBC News and other U.S. media said earlier on Saturday that the man had died. NBC News quoted New York City police as saying that the hospital where the man was taken was pronounced dead.

Officials earlier said the man, who is in his 30s, was in critical condition.

Witnesses said the man took the pamphlet from his backpack, threw it into the air, doused it with liquid and set himself on fire. One of the pamphlets mentioned “evil billionaires,” but the portion visible to Reuters witnesses did not mention Trump.

The New York Police Department said the man, Max Azzarillo of St. Augustine, Florida, did not appear to be targeting Trump or anyone else involved in the trial.

“Right now we’re labeling him a conspiracy theorist and we’ll go from there,” Deputy Police Chief Tarik Sheppard told a news conference.

In an online manifesto, a man using that name said he set himself on fire and apologized to friends, witnesses and first responders. The post warned of “an apocalyptic fascist coup” and criticized cryptocurrencies and U.S. politicians without naming Trump specifically.

According to Reuters witnesses, shortly after the incident, the square was filled with the smell of smoke and a police officer sprayed a fire extinguisher on the ground. A smoldering backpack and a gas can can be seen.

The courthouse in downtown Manhattan was heavily guarded by police on Monday, the first day of the trial, drawing a large crowd of protesters and onlookers, although the crowds have since thinned.

Jury selection completed

The shocking development came shortly after jury selection was completed, clearing the way for prosecutors and defense attorneys to deliver opening statements Monday in a case involving hush-money payments to porn stars. The court adjourned late in the afternoon.

Twelve jurors and six alternates will consider evidence in the first trial to determine whether the former US president is guilty of breaking the law. Trump defense attorney Susan Necheles said prosecutors plan to call at least 20 witnesses. Trump may testify on his own behalf, a risky move that would expose him to cross-examination.

The jury is made up of seven men and five women, mostly in white-collar professions: two corporate lawyers, a software engineer, a speech therapist and an English teacher. Most are not native New Yorkers, coming from across the United States and from countries like Ireland and Lebanon. The case will also be heard by alternate jurors, who are backup jurors in case one of the jurors has to leave due to illness or other reasons.

Trump is accused of covering up a $130,000 payment his then-lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to keep quiet about what she said was a sexual encounter a decade ago.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and has denied any such contact with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford Germany (Stephanie Clifford).

Trump has also pleaded not guilty in three other criminal cases, but this is the only one certain to go to trial before the Nov. 5 election, when the Republican politician aims to take on Democratic President Joe Biden again .

A conviction would not prevent him from serving.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)