Aaron Bushnell's Facebook Reveals Final Message Before Self-Immolation

A man who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. in protest at Israel's war in Gaza posted a final message on Facebook.

Aaron Bushnell, an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force, repeatedly yelled "free Palestine" as he set himself alight in what he called an "extreme" act of protest on Sunday.

Bushnell, 25, of San Antonio, Texas, was transported to a local hospital in a critical condition. He later died, a spokesperson for the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) told Newsweek via email.

Earlier in the day, Bushnell posted a final message on Facebook, alongside a link to a Twitch stream that has since been taken down.

He wrote: "Many of us like to ask ourselves, 'What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?' The answer is, you're doing it. Right now."

In video posted on social media, Bushnell cited U.S. support for Israel's actions in Gaza as the reason for his protest.

"My name is Aaron Bushnell, I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide," he says.

"I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal."

The footage shows him walk up the driveway of the embassy, set his phone down on the ground and pour an unknown liquid from a bottle over himself and ignite it while yelling "Free Palestine" repeatedly.

The video shows one officer pointing a gun at Bushnell, while others extinguished the flames. The MPD spokesperson did not confirm if that officer worked for the police department, but said the matter is under investigation.

MPD officers responded at around 1 p.m. to assist the Secret Service "after a man set himself on fire in front of an embassy," the spokesperson said. "He was transported by DC Fire and EMS to a local hospital where he later died."

The department is working with the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate the incident, the spokesperson added.

The Air Force said Bushnell was a cyber defense operations specialist with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio.

"When a tragedy like this occurs, every member of the Air Force feels it," Col. Celina Noyes, commander the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing, said. "We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Airman Bushnell."

A LinkedIn account apparently belonging to Bushnell describes him as an "aspiring software engineer" with "a talent and passion for solving complex problems with code."

He joined the Air Force in May 2020, and had been a DevOps Engineer based in San Antonio, Texas, since March 2023, according to the page.

Bushnell's protest comes as Israel's war on Hamas has killed about 30,000 Palestinians, The Associated Press reported, citing the Health Ministry in Gaza.

Israel declared war following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, in which about 1,200 people were killed. Israel's air and ground offensive has since driven about 80 percent of Gaza's population from their homes.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

Update 2/26/24, 5:29 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

Update 2/26/24, 8:38 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with information from the Metropolitan Police Department and an Air Force spokesperson.

Update 2/27/24, 4 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with information from the Metropolitan Police Department and an Air Force spokesperson.