Harrowing footage shows a 25 year old airman shouting Liberate Palestine after

Aaron Bushnell, 25, the Air Force engineer who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, wanted to “retire from the military”

The air force officer who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington to protest the war in Gaza was a “trainee engineer” and wanted to “retire from the military.”

Aaron Bushnell, 25, was hospitalized in critical condition Sunday after dousing himself with accelerant and hitting a lighter, causing his body to burst into flames. DC Fire and EMS said he suffered “life-threatening injuries.”

Horrific video of the incident showed Bushnell explaining the reasons for his “extreme act of protest” as he walked towards the building and shouted “Liberate Palestine” – while his body burst into flames. The fire burned for more than a minute before police and security forces managed to put it out.

According to his LinkedIn profile, the active-duty airman is a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas. He praised himself for having “very good communication skills” and “success in a team environment.”

Bushnell is pursuing his bachelor's degree in computer software engineering and is CompTIA Security+ certified, a qualification that demonstrates he has the essential skills to perform core security functions and pursue a career in IT security.

He appears to have ties to at least two anarchist groups, the Burning River Anarchist Collective and Mutual Aid Street Solidarity – both of which are based in Ohio. Bushnell followed both groups on Facebook.

He apparently grew up in a devout Christian family and even worked for Paraclete Press, a Christian book and music publisher based in Massachusetts, where his mother is apparently employed. His father owns a construction company.

During his youth, Bushnell also performed in a local indoor brass band called Spirit Winter Percussion.

The airman declared he would

The airman declared he would “no longer participate in genocide” by setting himself on fire and livestreaming the horrific scene before being rushed to hospital in critical condition

According to his LinkedIn profile, Bushnell is a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas

According to his LinkedIn profile, Bushnell is a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas

The video shows Bushnell approaching the heavily guarded Israeli embassy on International Drive in Washington just before 1 p.m. on Sunday. He wore a combat uniform and spoke to the camera with a selfie stick.

“My name is Aaron Bushnell,” he said to the camera, “I am an active member of the United States Air Force and will no longer participate in genocide.”

“I am about to carry out an extreme act of protest, but compared to what the people of Palestine experienced at the hands of their colonizers, this is not extreme at all.”

“This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.”

For more than 30 seconds, he walked in silence, past the neighboring Chinese embassy and holding an open bottle of liquid in his left hand.

When he reached the embassy, ​​he put the camera on the ground and marched to the gate, where he doused himself in the liquid before putting on his official cap.

Bushnell threw away the bottle and struggled to light his lighter when a challenging voice was heard.

His camera recorded an unseen man asking, “Hello sir, can I help you?” as he approached the embassy gates.

Twelve seconds later, the voice can be heard asking again: “Can I help you, sir?” before Bushnell lit a lighter and ignited the liquid.

has chosen not to show the footage below, which shows Bushnell being consumed by flames for more than a minute before police and security personnel managed to extinguish them.

The video shows the flames spreading across his entire body and engulfing his head as he continues to scream “Liberate Palestine,” his voice cracking in pain as the flames grow stronger. He managed to stand for almost a minute before falling to the ground.

Sirens were already wailing in the background and a man in civilian clothes pointed a pistol at him while others doused him with fire extinguishers.

He was taken to the hospital by DC Fire and EMS with “critical and life-threatening injuries.”

On Sunday morning, before heading to the embassy, ​​Bushnell apparently promoted his protest on Facebook and shared a link to his Twitch account LillyAnarKitty, where he livestreamed the demonstration.

“Many of us like to ask ourselves, “What would I do if I were alive during slavery?” Or during the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? “What would I do if my country committed genocide?” wrote Bushnell. “The answer is: You are doing it right now.”

The video was only seen by a few dozen people on Twitch before it was removed from the platform. However, it has since been viewed by over a million people on X.

A friend described Bushnell as “the nicest, gentlest, goofiest little kid in the Air Force.”

A friend described Bushnell as “the nicest, gentlest, goofiest little kid in the Air Force.”

The intelligence agency said it received a report that a person outside the Israeli embassy “was in a possible medical/mental health emergency.”

The intelligence agency said it received a report that a person outside the Israeli embassy “was in a possible medical/mental health emergency.”

The pilot was taken to the hospital by DC Fire and EMS with life-threatening injuries

The pilot was taken to the hospital by DC Fire and EMS with life-threatening injuries

Authorities responded to the embassy's warning around 1 p.m. on Sunday and found the man with severe burns

Authorities responded to the embassy's warning around 1 p.m. on Sunday and found the man with severe burns

“No embassy staff were injured and everyone is safe,” an embassy spokesman said

“No embassy staff were injured and everyone is safe,” an embassy spokesman said

The embassy is located on International Drive in Washington's North Cleveland Park neighborhood

The embassy is located on International Drive in Washington's North Cleveland Park neighborhood

Bushnell described himself on LinkedIn as an “aspiring software engineer” with a “passion for solving complex problems with code.”

Bushnell highlighted his educational and professional experience in software development and Linux systems administration and said he was looking to “transition from the US Air Force into software development.”

He praised his military successes and claimed that he had been “praised by senior leaders for my ability to explain complex technical issues.”

“During my time in the military in leadership and follower roles, as well as my previous work experience in various civilian roles, I thrived in team environments and acquired very good communication skills,” he said.

Bushnell said he could bring those “skills to any role” but noted that he “has a true passion for writing software” and “can't wait to drive innovation in the civilian world.”

It is understood Airman earned his bachelor's degree in computer software engineering, but it is unclear where he studied.

His bio states: “I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in software engineering at Western Governor's University and have taken several additional courses in software development outside of college.”

However, Bushnell's educational history does not list the Utah-based university, but instead lists Southern New Hampshire University as his current place of study. His profile shows that he enrolled in the school in May 2022 and is expected to graduate in May 2025.

His LinkedIn profile also states that he attended the University of Maryland Global Campus from January to November 2023.

Bushnell has reportedly been a member of the Air Force since May 2020, when he began basic training. His profile states that he graduated first and at the top of his class in November of that year.

He says he trained as a client systems technician and had “hands-on experience troubleshooting, building and repairing computer information systems.” He also completed cybersecurity training and earned CompTIA Security+ certification.

He was stationed in Texas in December 2020 and worked in IT infrastructure monitoring and oversight. In March 2023, he was promoted to DevOps engineer.

Prior to his military service, Bushnell worked in IT and web development at Paraclete Press in Brewster, Massachusetts for two years. He assisted the Christian publisher with IT functions and maintained its e-commerce website.

His mother, Danielle, is a buyer and contract administrator at Paraclete Press. She has been “extremely blessed to have been involved in carrying out the mission” of the organization for 27 years, the company’s website says.

His father, David, is a carpenter and owner of Bushnell Construction, according to his own LinkedIn profile. The company is based in Orleans, Massachusetts, where David and Danielle moved with their two sons in 1994.

A U.S. Air Force spokesman confirmed Sunday that Bushnell is an active-duty airman.

A Secret Service spokesperson told : “The US Secret Service, Uniformed Division, responded to the 3400 block of International Drive, NW, DC in reference to an individual who may be experiencing a medical/mental health emergency.”

The Metropolitan Police Department's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit was called to the scene regarding a suspicious vehicle possibly associated with the individual.

The Israeli Embassy released a statement after the incident that read: “On Sunday, February 25, at approximately 1 p.m., a man set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.”

“No embassy personnel were injured and are safe.”

A similar incident occurred in December when a pro-Palestinian protester set himself on fire outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.

The city's police chief, Darin Schierbaum, described the incident as an “extreme act of political protest” and said a Palestinian flag was recovered from the scene.

At least two people were injured in the self-immolation, including a security guard who tried to intervene.

Bushnell's protest came as the White House faces increasing pressure over the four-and-a-half-month conflict that has claimed more than 30,000 lives.

The president faces a Democratic primary in Michigan on Tuesday in which the state's large Arab-American population will be asked to vote “non-bindingly.”

Democratic “Squad” member Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and former Jewish Rep. Andy Levin are among those who have supported the “Listen to Michigan” campaign.

“Biden's blocking of the ceasefire resolution will only increase outrage and encourage peace advocates to vote 'non-binding' to make their voices heard,” said campaign manager Joseph Geevarghese.

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, a Democrat, warned this week that Biden can no longer take the Arab vote for granted.

“My greatest fear is that Mr. Biden will be remembered not as the president who saved American democracy in 2020, but rather as the president who sacrificed it for Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024,” he said.

President Biden, seen at a White House dinner on Saturday, is facing growing pressure from his own party to curb Israel's military assault on Gaza

President Biden, seen at a White House dinner on Saturday, is facing growing pressure from his own party to curb Israel's military assault on Gaza

The president faces a Democratic primary in Michigan on Tuesday that will ask the state's large Arab-American population to vote

The president faces a Democratic primary in Michigan on Tuesday that will ask the state's large Arab-American population to vote “non-bindingly.”

Hundreds of people continued to stream toward Gaza's southern border on Sunday amid smoke from airstrikes as Israel prepared for its attack on Rafah

Hundreds of people continued to stream toward Gaza's southern border on Sunday amid smoke from airstrikes as Israel prepared for its attack on Rafah

Thousands more waited for help amid chaotic scenes on a beach in Gaza City

Thousands more waited for help amid chaotic scenes on a beach in Gaza City

Last week, Biden's Democratic challenger, Rep. Dean Phillips, said he was “disgusted” by the loss of life in Gaza and would unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state if elected president.

“These are the most heartbreaking, terrible and disgusting images I have ever seen in my life,” said the candidate, who is himself Jewish.

Biden has demanded that Israel submit a plan for the evacuation of civilians before an attack on Rafah, the last unoccupied city in the Gaza Strip.

The White House said Friday that Israeli plans to build an additional 3,000 homes in the West Bank were “contrary to international law.”

And sanctions have been imposed on a handful of Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the occupied territories.

“This is like approaching a five-alarm fire with a cup of water while simultaneously giving fuel to the arsonist,” said Yousef Munayyer of the Palestine-Israel Program at the Arab Center in DC.