Horrifying Video Of Chicago Man Setting Himself On Fire In Middle Of Street In A Possible Attempt At Suicide

A bystander captured the moment a Chicago man stands in the middle of the street and set himself on fire, according to the ABC 7 Chicago. At approximately 9:15 p.m. on Monday, an unidentified man was seen standing on 400 block of South Franklin Street in downtown Chicago with a gasoline container in his hand.

Due to the extreme nature of the video, we can’t post it here. However, you can view the very graphic footage by heading over to YouTube.

Witnesses say they watched the man pace back and forth with the container but had no idea what he was about to do next. Shockingly, the man was seen setting himself on fire but the camera captures the moment the man – whose name has not been released to the public – was already engulfed in flames. Matt Schmitz who lived near the incident said he ran to his balcony after he heard a man screaming from below, according to CBS Local.

To his astonishment, a man was standing in the middle of the street engulfed in flames, but what was more shocking was that he was just standing there. Schmitz told investigators that it took at least a minute before he fell to the ground, rolling over several times possibly trying to put out the fire. Bystanders ran to his aide and tried to put the fire out by pouring water on him, but it was to no avail.

In the video footage, it shows Chicago police officers arriving at the scene as the man was still ignited. A quick-thinking officer poured liquid on the man while another used a blanket to put the fire out. Police News Affairs Officer Ron Gaines believe the man to be in his early 20s, but the exact age has yet to be determined.

The Chicago Fire Department later arrived at the scene when the man was being transported to Stroger Hospital where he was listed in critical condition, says Fire Commander Frank Velez. As a result of the possible suicide attempt, he suffered burns on 80 percent of his body, and at this point, doctors are unsure if he will survive his injuries.

Investigators believe the man was attempting to take his own life when he poured gasoline on himself while standing in the middle of the street and set himself on fire. However, Chicago police are currently investigating the incident.

[Image via Shutterstock]