U.S. Supreme Court.
A man is reportedly dead after setting himself on fire in protest onEarth Day, to bring awareness to the seriousness of climate change.
Multiple outlets, includingThe New York Times, report that 50-year-old Wynn Bruce of Boulder, Colorado, died after the incident that unfolded in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday, according to the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C.
A court spokesperson said in a statement toNBC Newsthat no one else was injured in the incident, which unfolded around 6:30 p.m. ET. Bruce was reportedly airlifted to a hospital and died from his injuries, police said, per theTimesand NBC News.
“The area remains closed for further investigation, but this is not a public safety issue,” the court spokesperson told NBC News.
The Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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Dr. Kritee Kanko, a climate scientist and Zen Buddhist priest,wrote on TwitterSunday that Bruce was her “friend” who “meditated with our sangha.”
“This act is not suicide. This is a deeply fearless act of compassion to bring attention to climate crisis,” she continued. “We are piecing together info but he had been planning it for at least one year.#wynnbruceI am so moved.”
Kanko’s tweet was shared as shequoted one fromjournalist Steve Silberman, who said, “Just found what I think is Wynn Bruce’s FB profile, and it’s heartbreaking.”
“He was a#ShambhalaBuddhist disturbed about climate change, posting photos of Thich Nhat Hanh and other teachers. May those who loved him find peace,” Silberman added.
Kanko said in an interview with theTimesthat “people are being driven to extreme amounts of climate grief and despair” overenvironmental issues.
But, she urged, “What I do not want to happen is that young people start thinking about self-immolation.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go tosuicidepreventionlifeline.org.
source: people.com
