Man Sets Himself on Fire on the National Mall

AP/ABC ^ | 10/5/2013 | ERIC TUCKER

[markomalley]

A man set himself on fire on the National Mall in the nation's capital as passers-by rushed over to help put out the flames, officials and witnesses said Friday afternoon.

The reason for the self-immolation was not immediately clear and the man's identity was not disclosed. But it occurred in public view, on a central national gathering place, in a city still rattled by a mass shooting last month and a high-speed car chase outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday that ended with a woman being shot dead by police with a young child in the car.

The man on the Mall suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to the hospital, said District of Columbia fire department spokesman Tim Wilson.

He was standing by himself in the center portion of the Mall when he emptied the contents of a red gasoline can on himself and set himself on fire moments later, said Katy Scheflen, who witnessed it as she walked across the area. Police say they responded around 4:20 p.m. Friday.

[staytrue]

The last few years have seen a large increase in white male suicides, presumablely due to the economic and social environment of the last few years. So I am guessing suicide by gasoline is probably white male and likely tea party, although my guess could be wrong.

[equaviator]

Geeez, that’s terrible! I wonder how many are of a ‘chivalrous’ nature where the husband and/or father decides that the family would be better off without them.

[Fzob]

Use of the left hand at table is considered extremely gauche.)

Well...Zero is left handed. The single thing similar between him and me.