In a shocking incident outside the Manhattan courthouse, a man set himself on fire while former President Donald Trump's trial was underway. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, creating chaos at the scene. Witnesses reported seeing the man engulfed in flames in a park across the street from the courthouse.

According to CNN correspondent Laura Coates, who was reporting live at the time, the smell of burning agent filled the air as officers rushed to extinguish the fire. People in the vicinity climbed over barricades in an attempt to separate the public from the man. Disturbing footage showed him still twitching and in flames as a police officer hurriedly approached with a fire extinguisher.

The man has been identified as Maxwell Azzarello, a resident of St. Augustine, Florida, who had arrived in New York earlier in the week. Police have stated that Azzarello used an alcohol-based cleaning substance to ignite the blaze. He remains in critical condition as a result of the incident.

Prior to setting himself on fire, Azzarello reportedly threw pamphlets with "conspiracy-theory-type" content into the air, including one titled "The True History of the World (Haunted Carnival Edition)" which mentioned "evil billionaires." It is unclear at this time if his actions were directly related to the ongoing Trump trial.

Witnesses revealed that pro-Trump supporters were present in the area when the incident occurred. As the fire grew, they scattered. Police had initial difficulty reaching Azzarello due to the security barricades in place around the park.

The trial itself revolves around felony charges against Trump related to hush money payments allegedly made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. This extraordinary trial marks the first criminal trial of a former US president in the nation's history. The courthouse has been subject to extensive security measures throughout the proceedings.

Jury selection had just concluded moments before the incident took place. A full jury of 12 individuals, along with six alternates, has been seated for Trump's trial. Opening statements are expected to commence next week. The jurors hail from diverse professional backgrounds, including sales, software engineering, and teaching.

Both the prosecution and defense teams have diligently questioned hundreds of New Yorkers in order to ensure an impartial and fair jury. Some potential jurors were dismissed after expressing doubt about their ability to meet this threshold. The judge has ruled that only the prosecutors, Trump, and their legal teams will be privy to the jurors' names for security reasons.

This harrowing incident outside the Manhattan courthouse has further heightened the intensity surrounding the Trump trial. As investigations into the motives behind Azzarello's actions continue, security measures will likely be scrutinized to prevent similar incidents in the future.