In Memory of: "Aaron Bushnell"

Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, on February 25, 2024.

An active-duty member of the US Air Force who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, on Sunday, has died.

Aaron Bushnell, 25, of San Antonio, Texas, said in a video of the incident, that he would “no longer be complicit in genocide” and that his suffering was minimal compared to that of Palestinians as the humanitarian crisis persists in Gaza.

He then sets the recording device on the ground before pouring an unknown liquid over himself and igniting it while yelling “Free Palestine” repeatedly. He eventually collapses.

He was subsequently transported by DC Fire and emergency services to a local hospital where he died, the incident, which took place around 1 p.m. in northwest Washington.

Bushnell’s identity was confirmed by MPD, and Rose Riley, a spokesperson for the US Air Force, said he was an active-duty airman.

A spokesperson from the Israeli Embassy said no embassy staff were injured.

In December 2023, a person set themselves on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta in what police said was “likely an extreme act of political protest.” A Palestinian flag that was part of the protest was recovered at the scene, and gasoline was used as an accelerant.