ATLANTA (AP) – A man who called himself a military veteran and says he was disgruntled with the Veterans Affairs system strapped fireworks to his chest and lit himself on fire Tuesday in front of the Georgia Capitol.
The ordeal prompted the Capitol building to be evacuated and the surrounding streets to be shut down. No one else was hurt.
“He had (fireworks) strapped to himself and as I understand doused himself with some additional flammable and set himself on fire,” said Capt. Mark Perry of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. “I’m not sure if it was gasoline or kerosene or what it was.”
Almost simultaneously, Perry said, “one of the Capitol troopers saw what was happening, came out, actually had a fire extinguisher and was able to douse him pretty quickly.”
The man, 58, identified himself to law officers as an Air Force veteran, the Department of Public Safety said in a Tuesday afternoon statement. Authorities were notifying his family Tuesday afternoon and didn’t immediately release his name.