Man Who Set Himself On Fire Near White House Dies From Injuries
A Maryland man who set himself on fire outside of the White House on Wednesday has died from his injuries. According to Fox News, Arnav Gupta of Bethesda Maryland lit himself ablaze on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., and while authorities attempted to put out the fire before it could cause too much harm, the man ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Gupta set himself on fire in the 52-acre national park that sits on the north end of the Washington Monument on Wednesday afternoon. The incident took place near 15th Street and Constitution Avenue just south of the White House. Police extinguished the flames and rushed Gupta to a local hospital for treatment where he was admitted for “life-threatening injuries.”
He died later that night according to a news release via Twitter from the United States Park Police.
“On May 29, 2019, at 12:25 p.m., officers from the United States Park Police and United States Secret Service responded to a report of an adult male who reportedly lit himself on fire on the Ellipse near 15th and Consitution Avenue,” the release reads. “The individual was extinguished and later transported to a local hospital for treatment.”
“The Bethesda MD man identified as Arnav Gupta, died of his injuries later that evening. In accordance with policy, the investigation has been turned over to the Metropolitan Police Department,” the release concludes.
Gupta had been reported missing hours before the incident and the Montgomery County Police Department had said that they were looking for the man because his family was concerned for his emotion and physical welfare.
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A man whose daughter witnessed the event says that Gupta had been running through the park before he lit himself on fire. The 17-year-old girl was sightseeing with a cousin when she witnessed the event and recorded part of it. She gave the video to her father who posted it on social media. In the video, you can see flames erupting near a guard shack as emergency services respond to the situation.
The girl told her father that she witnessed agents running toward the man as they tried to get a handle on the situation. Eventually, the police doused the fire.
This isn’t the first instance of a person setting themselves on fire near the White House. A man riding a motorized wheelchair lit his jacket ablaze while riding on the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and survived.
