A man died of his injuries after lighting himself on fire on the Ellipse on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident occured near 15th Street and Constitution Ave NW around 12:20 p.m., and uniformed Secret Service officers “responded in seconds, extinguished the fire, and began to administer first aid,” says Jeffrey Adams, a Secret Service spokesperson. The National Park Service and Park Police assisted in rendering first aid. The individual was transported to a local hospital, per Adams. He died of his injuries later that evening, U.S. Park Police announced on Thursday.
The man was identified as Arnav Gupta, a 33 year old from Bethesda, Md. Gupta’s family last saw him when he left his home on Wednesday morning around 9:20 a.m., according to Montgomery County Police, who were looking for the missing man and “concerned for Gupta’s physical and emotional welfare.”
The investigation into his death is now in the hands of D.C. police.
Just last month, another man lit his own jacket on fire outside the North Fence of the White House. The man reportedly suffered non life-threatening injuries.
This story was been updated on 5/30/19 with information about the man’s identity and condition.
Rachel Kurzius