UPDATE 5:28 am- The Associated Press reported that Maxwell Azzarello has died. The New York City Police Department confirmed the information with the news station.
New York City police say a St. Augustine man set himself on fire outside a courthouse where former President Donald Trump was on trial and is now in critical condition.
>>> STREAM PROMOTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<
Police say 37-year-old Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine threw pamphlets containing conspiracy theory propaganda into the air before the incident.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Action News Jax learned that Azzarello lived in an apartment building on St. George Street for about three years, but moved out in the past two months.
“He was a very friendly neighbor, never too loud or anything like that, so it’s quite surprising,” said a neighbor who did not want to be identified.
The apartment complex manager told Action News Jax he had a good reputation there, had never had any problems with him and had passed background checks.
ORIGINAL STORY: The man who set himself on fire outside Trump’s trial is from St. Augustine, authorities confirm
Neighbors who lived on the same floor as him said he would park his car at the end of the driveway and it always had political signs and writings on it.
“The back of his SUV always had some kind of sharp message on it, which he would occasionally change to a bunch of things, from crypto to Biden, to Hillary Clinton and Trump,” the neighbor said. “It wasn’t actually something that you would really understand was connected, but he had a very coherent vision in his head of what that was.”
Action News Jax is believed to have found his website called the Ponzi Papers. A post early Friday documented what he did in New York, saying: “This extreme act of protest is intended to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery:” outlining political conspiracy theories.
It continues: “To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain on you. But I assure you it is just a drop in the ocean compared to what our government plans to cause.”
READ: Brunswick doctor killed, Wayne County deputies say it was an apparent murder-suicide
The website is something the floormate said was also on his car with other claims.
“I believe it was something along the lines of Trump and Hillary being together and they’re going to stage some kind of coup,” the neighbor said.
Action News Jax also found his Instagram page, where he has posted several videos in recent months.
Azzarello was arrested at least three times in St. Augustine, twice at the Casa Monica Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection. In one instance, a police report said he threw a glass of wine at a signed Bill Clinton frame, staining it.
St. Augustine police told Action News Jax he had a history of mental health issues, but did not elaborate. He was also recently on probation for criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. One of the rules was that he had to follow the rules of the Marchman Act, which deals with substance abuse treatment.
“I’m sad again, he was a very sweet person,” said the neighbor. “But it was clear something was going on.”
The property manager told Action News Jax about six to 12 months ago, Azzarello started talking more about political conspiracy theory claims.
The NYPD said Azzarello is in critical condition.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to live stream Action News Jax.
