“I will no longer participate in genocide. Liberate Palestine!”

Bushnell then poured flammable liquid on himself and chanted “Liberate Palestine!” Screaming, he set himself on fire.

according to a BBC According to reports, the incident occurred around 1 a.m. in northwest Washington, with Secret Service officers fleeing the scene. First they pointed their guns at him, and asked him to lie down – whether he would surrender or put out the flames is not clear, but a firefighter was heard saying in a desperate tone on live video. Could, “I don’t need guns, I need a fire extinguisher!”

While they managed to put out the fire, Bushnell was eventually taken to a local hospital.

Despite efforts to save him, Bushnell died on February 26, following a thorough investigation by local police, the Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the report said.

Bushnell’s intense act of self-immolation was captured on video and broadcast live on the streaming site Twitch, in which he denied participating in what he called “genocide” against the Palestinian people.

Even those who are usually cautious cnn And this new York Times– who has been widely condemned for his euphoria on the subject of the situation in Gaza and Palestine and Israel’s relations with Palestinians – brought attention to the incident that clearly could not be ignored.

The Air Force confirmed Bushnell’s identity and revealed his role as a cyber defense operations specialist assigned to the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Wing, and that he was on active duty until his death, prompting protests against him. The work gained particular power – given that the US is sending military aid and weapons to Israel and supports its ‘right to defend itself’, while repeatedly vetoing global sanctions against it at the UN.

It certainly holds an added significance for an active duty member of the armed forces to protest against his diplomatic stance.

Colonel Selina Noyes, commander of the 70th ISR Wing, expressed condolences to Bushnell’s family and emphasized the need for privacy during this difficult time.