Man dies after lighting himself on fire outside Supreme Court

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By stefan armitage

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A man has passed away after lighting himself on fire outside of the United States Supreme Court Building on Friday.

As reported by NBC News, the Metropolitan Police Department has identified the man as 50-year-old Wynn Bruce, of Boulder, Colorado.

A spokesperson for the court revealed that the incident occurred at around 6:30PM on Friday evening. Supreme Court Police, U.S. Capitol Police, and Metropolitan Police Department were on hand to respond to the tragic incident in Washington, DC.

Video footage from the night, shared on Twitter by Fox News' Chad Pergram, shows a medical helicopter landing nearby and then transporting the man to a nearby hospital.

However, police confirmed on Saturday that the man had died from his injuries. The court spokesperson has also added that there is no threat to public safety.

"The area remains closed for further investigation, but this is not a public safety issue," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Per the New York Post, social media accounts for a man named Wynn Bruce state that he was a Buddhist priest.

Additionally, a Twitter user claiming to be Bruce's friend has stated that his death was not an act of "suicide", but a "fearless act of compassion to bring attention to climate crisis". These claims are yet to be verified.

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Credit: Xinhua / Alamy

Authorities have confirmed that nobody else was harmed as a result of the incident and that an investigation is underway to determine Bruce's motives.

NBC News confirmed that the Supreme Court was not in session at the time and that Congress is in recess.

A spokesperson also confirmed that Bruce's death was in no way linked to a shooting that left four people wounded earlier in the day in the Northwest section of the city, per The Post.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out for help and contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.

Featured image credit: Xinhua / Alamy