CNN’s Laura Coates Reported Live as Man Set Himself on Fire Outside of Trump Trial Courthouse: ‘An Unbelievably Disturbing Moment Here’

A man set himself on fire outside the courthouse where the jurors are being chosen for former president Donald Trump‘s hush money criminal trial. CNN‘s chief legal analyst Laura Coates witnessed the self-immolation and spoke about the “unbelievably disturbing moment” live on air.

“I just have to tell you, I have been a student of history for a long time. I cannot overstate the emotional response of watching a human being engulfed in flames and to watch his body be lifted on a gurney,” Coates said on air. “Here we are, knowing that we’re here to document history, but to know about what has just taken place — what an emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment here in Manhattan.”

The man was in an area designated for protesters outside the Manhattan courthouse where the jurors and alternates for Trump’s trial were being chosen Friday. According to local news outlets, the man doused himself in accelerant across the street from the courthouse and was quickly covered in flames as bystanders ran away. Police officers rushed over and attempted to put out the fire with an extinguisher, and the man was taken into an ambulance.

Popular on PvNew

Coates was reporting live on CNN, with cameras catching the moment she saw the self-immolation and began explaining what was going on. At first the chaos seemed to appear to be an active shooter, but she quickly corrected herself and reported the man setting himself on fire live. Cameras caught footage of the flames, then turned away to focus on Coates as she spoke.

“We have a man who has set fire to himself,” she said. “A man has emblazoned himself outside of the courthouse just now. Our cameras are turning right now. A man has now lit himself on fire outside of the courthouse in Manhattan while we are waiting for history to be made.”

Eyewitnesses told outlets that the man threw pamphlets into the air before setting himself on fire. There is not a clear reason why he set himself on fire, and reports indicated the man was still alive but in “critical condition” while in the ambulance.

The 12 jurors and six alternates in Trump’s trial had been chosen, and the court was heading into a break when the man set himself on fire outside. Trump is accused of being part of a large scheme to bury negative press stories about him ahead of the 2016 election, including making hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal to cover up alleged affairs. He has denied these claims as he is gearing up for the 2024 presidential election.