A man on fire screaming “Mormon mafia” on the UC Berkeley campus horrifies passers-by who try to help until the local business owner puts out the fire
- The man, whose identity has not been released, set himself on fire Wednesday night
- The bizarre scene took place on the main square of the UC Berkeley campus
- Horrified bystanders yelled, “Roll on the ground” as the burning man screamed
A man in his 20s set himself on fire on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley on Wednesday while shouting “Mormon mafia” and shocking bystanders who tried to help.
The burning man, whose identity has not been released, was engulfed in flames as he ran down busy Telegraph Avenue as people shouted, “Roll onto the floor.” He was eventually rescued by a local business owner who ran out of his shop with a fire extinguisher.
Sandwich a Go-Go manager Enrique Rojas was assisted by two people trying to help the man who was shouting “Go away,” according to an eyewitness.
Two people were able to completely extinguish the flames when the man shouted for him to “go away,” according to an eyewitness.
The Berkeley Fire and Police Department and Berkeley Mental Health Service responded to the scene. The man was later hospitalized with second and third degree burns over most of his body. The two passers-by who tried to put out the fire were also injured.
A man set himself on fire on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley on Wednesday while shouting “Mormon mafia,” horrifying passers-by who tried to help
The burning man, whose identity has not been released, burst into flames as he ran down Telegraph Avenue as horrified bystanders yelled, “Roll onto the floor.”
According to an eyewitness, two people were able to completely extinguish the flames outside Eshleman Hall when the man shouted for him to “get away”.
Tony Delacruz, who works at the UC Student Store, was returning from his break sometime after 4 p.m. when he witnessed the man burst into flames and rush to the scene.
Delacruz described the man as unpredictable with people gathering around him trying to help, and said he was “indifferent” to the flames.
When he ran to get a fire extinguisher, the sandwich shop manager was there and had the fire under control.
The man was taken to the trauma center at Highland Hospital in Oakland, firefighters said.
University of California Police Department (UCPD) officers temporarily cordoned off portions of Sproul Plaza and Telegraph Avenue with police tape, which was later removed.
Remnants of clothing were left on the square along with fire extinguishers.
It is currently unclear whether the person is a student or an employee of the university.
Mental health services were offered to students and staff who witnessed the event, according to Berkeleyside.org.
The UCPD is investigating the incident.