An active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force, who grew up in Massachusetts, died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. while declaring that he “will no longer be complicit in genocide.”
The 25-year-old airman, Aaron Bushnell, of San Antonio, Texas, died from the injuries, he suffered in protest of the Israel-Hamas war, the Metropolitan Police Department said Monday.
Bushnell attended Nauset Public Schools from 2003-2007 and 2013-2014, the school district confirmed in a statement to Boston 25 News.
In the statement, NPS said, “The Nauset Public Schools is heartbroken to learn of the untimely death of one of our former students, Aaron Bushnell. Mr. Bushnell was a student in the Nauset Public Schools between 2003-2007 and 2013-2014. Our school community is saddened by Mr. Bushnell’s death and we offer our condolences to his family and friends.”
Bushnell had walked up to the embassy shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday and began livestreaming on the video streaming platform Twitch, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Law enforcement officials believe the man started a livestream, set his phone down and then doused himself in accelerant and ignited the flames. At one point, he said he “will no longer be complicit in genocide,” the person said. The video was later removed from the platform, but law enforcement officials have obtained and reviewed a copy.