A man reportedly set himself on fire outside a New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial was taking place.

Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida, “was pronounced dead by hospital staff” early Saturday morning, NBC News reported.

New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said Mr. Azzarillo was taken to the burn unit at Weill Cornell Medical Center where he was previously reported to be alive but in critical condition.

He entered Collect Pond Park across from the Manhattan Criminal Court at around 1:30 pm EST yesterday.

New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jeffrey Maddrey told reporters: “While he was in the park, he started dragging his clothes around.

“He took out a lot of paper pamphlets from his bag and threw them all over the park.

“He then took out a can and poured some sort of liquid over himself. We believe a liquid was an accelerant and he set himself on fire.

“The man took a few steps while on fire and eventually fell against a police barricade and fell to the ground. He was on fire.”

The video showed Mr. Azzarillo lying on his back on the sidewalk with his lower body on fire.

It is understood he was burned for several minutes in full view of television cameras set up outside the court where the first criminal trial of a former US president is taking place.

Members of the public, police and court staff tried to put out the flames using coats and fire extinguishers.

Four police officers and a court official suffered minor injuries.

One witness, freelance photojournalist Ed Quinn, who was facing the court, told NBC: “I heard someone screaming, ‘He’s going to set himself on fire.’”

“I saw him pour gasoline on his face on purpose,” he said. [a] Gray T-shirt.

“His face was soaked. His shirt was soaked.

“Bang, he got promoted.”

The NYPD said Azzarillo did not appear to be targeting Trump or anyone else involved in the trial.

“Right now we’re going to label him a conspiracy theorist and we’ll go from there,” Deputy Police Chief Tarik Sheppard said.

It is understood he arrived in New York earlier this week.

The colorful pamphlets he reportedly distributed promoted conspiracy theories, including claims that New York higher education institutions were “part of the mob,” a Ponzi scheme and references to “evil billionaires.”

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.

Onlookers said the area was filled with the smell of smoke after the incident and a smoldering backpack and a gas can could be seen.

Police officials are considering whether to restrict access to the park outside the courthouse following the incident.

“We may have to close this area,” said NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry.

She said officials will discuss safety plans soon.

The area has been heavily guarded by police since the trial began on Monday, attracting large crowds of protesters and onlookers.

The incident, which occurred shortly after the jury was selected in Trump’s trial, cleared the way for prosecutors and defense attorneys to deliver opening statements on Monday in a case over alleged hush-money payments to porn stars.

Twelve jurors and six reserve jurors will consider evidence in the first trial to determine whether the former US president is guilty of breaking the law.

Trump’s defense attorney, Susan Necheles, said prosecutors planned to call at least 20 witnesses.

Trump may testify on his own behalf, a move that would subject 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 were not from New York but from across the United States as well as Ireland and Lebanon.

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.

He 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. Stephanie Clifford).

He has pleaded not guilty in three other criminal cases, but this is the only one set to go to trial ahead of this November’s U.S. presidential election.

A conviction would not prevent him from serving.