A disturbing incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon at the University of California, Berkeley, when a young man allegedly experiencing a severe mental health episode set himself on fire in full view of passersby. The man on fire then proceeded to walk around.
The self-immolation was reported to authorities at 4:17 p.m. after the man, completely engulfed in flames, was seen walking at Sproul Plaza on campus.
🚨#UPDATE: Berkeley Mental Health, Police, & Fire Department responded to the scene and immediately transported the individual to a local hospital with 2nd and 3rd-degree burns. Two of the good samaritans attempting to render aid sustained unknown injuries and were transported to… https://t.co/QPMEhsSXrb pic.twitter.com/utHXduQtJR
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) March 2, 2023
Videos captured by bystanders (see above) have been circulating on social media and have been seen over 200,000 times. The shocking images show a man wandering around while on fire. And onlookers are attempting to extinguish the flames with water and their jackets.
One person can be heard repeatedly shouting at the man to get on the ground, but he ignores the command. Eventually, officers with the UC Berkeley Police Department and Berkeley firefighters arrived and were able to get the situation under control.
