The man who set himself on fire Friday outside the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial was described by police as a “conspiracy theorist.”

Maxwell Azzarello, 37, of St. Augustine, Florida, arrived in New York this week, authorities said.

On Friday, he joined other protesters, Trump supporters and media who have been stationed in Collect Pond Park outside the downtown Manhattan courthouse. A New York Times photographer took a picture of Azzarello holding a sign that read, “Trump is with Biden and they’re about to fascist coup us.”

About 1:30 p.m. Eastern time, Azzarello walked to the center of the park, pulled pamphlets from a book bag, threw them into the air, then doused himself with liquid, New York police Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said. Officials said the liquid was an alcohol-based cleaning solution.

“He lights himself on fire,” Maddrey said during a news conference Friday afternoon.

CNN showed video of flames engulfing the man’s body as bystanders ran from the rising dark smoke.

The flames continued to burn for a few minutes before a New York police officer ran toward Azzarello with a fire extinguisher. Four officers suffered minor injuries putting out the flames. Maddrey said people used coats and fire extinguishers to help quell the flames.

Azzarello was rushed to a hospital, where he was intubated and in critical condition, New York Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said.

The incident occurred shortly after a full jury of 12 people and six alternates had been seated in Trump’s hush money case, the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.

Police said Azzarello did not appear to have targeted anyone else in the incident and described him as a “conspiracy theorist.”

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