Live video of man who set himself on fire outside court proves challenging for news organizations
**Man Sets Himself on Fire Outside Manhattan Courthouse Amid Trump Trial**
In a harrowing and tragic incident outside the Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial, a man set himself on fire on Friday. Video cameras stationed outside the courthouse captured the gruesome scene, showing the man distributing pamphlets before dousing himself in an accelerant and igniting the flames that engulfed him.
CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and other news agencies were all on the air covering the trial proceedings when the incident occurred. The networks had to make quick decisions on how to handle the shocking footage and what would be deemed too disturbing for viewers.
CNN anchor Laura Coates provided detailed narration of the scene, initially misidentifying the incident as a shooting before realizing it was a man in flames. Viewers could hear Coates describing the smell of burning flesh as she stood at the scene with reporter Evan Perez.
Fox News briefly showed the incident as reporter Eric Shawn spoke, then quickly switched to a courtroom sketch of Trump on trial, issuing a statement of apology for the distressing footage. MSNBC also covered the event, with reporter Yasmin Vossoughian providing narration of the scene, although no clear images of the man on fire were shown.
The Associated Press had an unnarrated live shot of the incident outside the courthouse, capturing the horrifying moment when the man lit himself on fire and writhed on the ground before a police officer attempted to extinguish the flames with a jacket. Due to the graphic nature of the content, the AP later removed the live feed from their YouTube channel and replaced it with edited clips for video clients.
The man, whose identity and motives remain unclear, was in critical condition following the self-immolation incident. The heartbreaking scene underscored the challenges faced by news agencies in deciding how to cover distressing events while balancing the need for accurate reporting.
The trial of former President Trump, which was already under intense media scrutiny, now grapples with the added drama and tragedy of the self-immolation incident. As authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the man’s actions, the shocking event serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable and often distressing nature of breaking news coverage.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story as authorities work to determine the motives behind this tragic event outside the Manhattan courthouse.
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