WASHINGTON – A Buddhist priest in Colorado said a man’s death outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday was “an act of compassion,” not suicide.
A Colorado man who reportedly set himself on fire in front of the Supreme Court on Friday has died, the Metropolitan Police Department confirmed on Saturday.
The deceased individual was identified as Wynn Bruce, 50, a resident of Boulder, Colorado, Fox News reported.
The area was closed to the public after the Supreme Court Police, U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department responded to the scene at about 6:30 p.m. on Friday, according to aol.com.
Capitol Police said a medical helicopter landed near the steps of the U.S. Capitol in regard to the medical emergency involving Bruce.
They advised there was not an ongoing public safety issue.
Video from Fox News’ Chad Pergram showed the moment the helicopter landed.
Park Service helicopter lands on steps of Supreme Court after man tries to set himself on fire pic.twitter.com/jVEsgvEyas
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) April 22, 2022
No one else was injured during the incident, a court spokesperson said.
According to FOX 5, authorities said Bruce died from the self-inflicted injuries he sustained.
A Facebook page belonging to a person named Wynn Bruce identifies him as a Buddhist and a climate activist, the New York Post reported.
In 2020, Bruce left a cryptic Facebook comment that included a fire emoji and the date of his death, 4/22/2022.
Wynn Bruce of Boulder, Colorado, died Saturday, a day after he set himself ablaze in Washington, D.C. (Facebook)
A Facebook page belonging to a person named Wynn Bruce left a cryptic Facebook comment in 2020.(Facebook)
A Buddhist priest from Boulder said she knew Bruce and called his death “an act of compassion.”
“This guy was my friend. He meditated with our sangha [Buddhist community],” Dr. K. Kritee wrote. “This act is not suicide. This is a deeply fearless act of compassion to bring attention to climate crisis. We are piecing together info but he had been planning it for at least one year. #wynnbruce I am so moved.”
This guy was my friend. He meditated with our sangha. This act is not suicide. This is a deeply fearless act of compassion to bring attention to climate crisis. We are piecing together info but he had been planning it for atleast one year. #wynnbruce I am so moved. https://t.co/bHoRaLK6Fr
— Dr. K. Kritee (@KriteeKanko) April 24, 2022
Authorities have not officially disclosed a motivation for the man’s apparent suicide, although they now have some clues.
