Fire officials and police in Washington, D.C., responded after an active-duty Air Force member set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy on Sunday afternoon.

DC Fire and EMS said it responded to a call about a person on fire outside the Israeli Embassy just before 1 p.m.

D.C. law enforcement is shown outside the Israeli Embassy.

D.C. police said it responded to the 3500 block of International Drive NW around 1 p.m. to assist the U.S. Secret Service.

Officials arrived to find the fire extinguished by U.S. Secret Service members.

The Secret Service said its uniformed division responded to the scene for a person who was experiencing a possible medical or mental health emergency.

D.C. police and fire officials respond to the scene outside the Israeli Embassy on Sunday afternoon. (Fox News)

DC Fire and EMS took the airman to an area hospital where he remains in critical condition.

DC police said its explosive ordnance disposal team was requested to the scene due to a suspicious vehicle that may be connected to the individual.

“I can confirm an active duty Airman involved in today’s incident,” U.S. Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told Fox News Digital in a statement.

The Israeli Embassy said the man is unknown and that no embassy staff were injured.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

  • ClimateChangeAnxiety [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    25·
    4 months ago

    It’s genuinely impressive and disgusting how good US media is at downplaying self-immolation. They’re very consistent about it regardless of the cause, although they’re even stricter about it in this case.

    I honestly think because of just how extreme of an act it is it’s like the one time we should absolutely give them the attention they asked for, regardless of the cause they believe in, as respect for such an act. Regardless of your feelings on it, setting yourself on fire for your beliefs is a brave as shit thing to do.

    I’ve never heard of a case of self immolation that wasn’t an extreme protest, and yet media consistently manages to not ever cover that. They’ll maybe say in one throwaway line “There are unconfirmed reports this was done as a protest against X”

    If you’re set on killing yourself, shoot up the United Healthcare board room, or if you’re an air force pilot try to 9/11 the White House. Don’t set yourself on fire, they won’t even put you on the news.

    • porcupine@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
      11·
      4 months ago

      I sympathize whenever I hear about someone killing themselves because they can’t bear to live with what this awful country does to people, but there’s a part of me that I can absolutely never vocalize that wishes they’d made their death count and taken the richest person they can find with them.

    • LeZero [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
      8·
      4 months ago

      My thoughts whenever I hear about a school mass shooting

      If you absolutely want to go out guns blazing, at least shoot up a British Petroleum board meeting or something

    • kristina [she/her]@hexbear.netEnglish
      3·
      4 months ago

      i just hate this cause they were likely trans, and thats one more sister down. i dont like anyone acting like this was heroic or some sort of brave thing. its going to be covered for a week or so and go poof. nothing will change because there are material interests at play. if anything, acting like its heroic will just cause more trans people on the edge to kill themselves, and i feel like thats why shit like this is even covered in the first place, they hope there will be copycats.

      its all so dumb and senseless. killing yourself is such a bad fucking idea. ive been there, and ive been able to experience happiness i could not have ever imagined before even though my life is certifiably a wreck. its worth it to live. do not fucking kill yourself.