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US airman Aaron Bushnell's last Facebook post before death revealed: ‘What would I do if I was alive during slavery?’
US Air Force member Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC
The last post Aaron Bushnell, the US Air Force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, shared on Facebook has been revealed. The incident took place on Sunday, February 25, following which he was reportedly in critical condition. He later succumbed to his injuries.
In various posts and a video, Bushnell expressed US support for Israel after the October 7 Hamas attack. This led to a brutal war in Gaza, where thousands of civilians were killed. He cited this as the reason he died by suicide.
Aaron Bushnell’s last Facebook posts
Bushnell took to Facebook earlier in the day, writing, "Many of us like to ask ourselves, 'What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?' The answer is, you're doing it. Right now." The post has since been deleted.
Bushnell also posted a video where he explained why he had planned to do what he did. "My name is Aaron Bushnell, I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide," he said. "I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonisers, it's not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal."
He live streamed the video of the tragic incident on Twitch, but it was later taken down. The footage reportedly showed him walking up to the Israeli embassy and pouring a liquid on himself. He then set himself on fire, shouting “Free Palestine” repeatedly.
The 25-year-old was from San Antonio, Texas. He died on Sunday, February 25, the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington confirmed.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
