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US Airman Shouts 'Free Palestine' And Sets Self Ablaze, Dies

  • Publish date: Monday، 26 February 2024 Last update: Tuesday، 10 December 2024
US Airman Shouts 'Free Palestine' And Sets Self Ablaze, Dies

An active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force, identified as Aaron Bushnell, aged 25, from San Antonio, Texas, set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., while shouting "free Palestine."

The incident occurred around 1 p.m. as Bushnell, wearing military fatigues, live-streamed the event on Twitch. Law enforcement believes he initiated the livestream, then doused himself in an accelerant, igniting the flames.

In the video, he calmly states his extreme act of protest against what he perceives as genocide against the Palestinian people, repeatedly shouting "free Palestine" while burning for about a minute.

A U.S. Secret Service officer eventually extinguished the fire after he collapsed. Responding to reports of a possible medical or mental health emergency, officers took Bushnell to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries. On Monday, a U.S. official confirmed his death, pending the military's 24-hour notification to next of kin. 

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