A tragic incident occurred outside the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial, as a man set himself on fire. The 37-year-old man, identified as Max Azzarello by the police, was declared dead at a hospital on Friday night, according to authorities.

The incident unfolded when Azzarello entered Collect Pond Park in Lower Manhattan around 1:30 p.m. on Friday. Witnesses reported that he threw pamphlets containing conspiracy theories into the air before pouring a flammable liquid on himself. He then ignited the liquid, causing him to be engulfed in flames. Prior to the self-immolation, Azzarello made political statements that caught the attention of bystanders.

Upon seeing the horrifying scene, onlookers rushed to his aid, using a fire extinguisher to douse the flames and attempting to extinguish the fire. Emergency crews arrived at the scene and transported Azzarello to a nearby hospital, but unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries. Police had previously stated that his chances of survival were slim.

Shortly before the incident, someone claiming to be Azzarello had emailed news media outlets, including WPIX, explaining the motive behind his self-immolation protest. In the email, he identified himself as an investigative researcher and expressed the intention to draw attention to what he referred to as an "urgent and important discovery." The contents of the letter alluded to a conspiracy theory involving the United States government and its allies.

Authorities revealed that Azzarello had traveled from Florida to New York prior to the incident, but he did not breach any checkpoints when accessing the park. The incident occurred across the street from the courthouse, which has been the center of attention for both protesters and media covering the ongoing jury selection for Trump's hush money trial.

As a precautionary measure, the area was thoroughly searched for any potential explosive devices, but none were found, according to the police. The incident took place just minutes after a full jury of 12 members and six alternates had been seated in Trump's hush money case, bringing the trial a step closer to the opening statements.

The tragic self-immolation incident has left the community shocked and highlights the intensity surrounding the ongoing trial. The investigation into the motives behind Azzarello's actions is still ongoing, and authorities are working towards understanding the events that led to this unfortunate outcome.