Florida Man, 30, Critically Injured After Setting Himself on Fire Inside Store

A 30-year-old Florida man reportedly set himself on fire inside a Publix in Plant City on the evening of May 29. He is now in critical condition.

The incident occurred shortly after 6:30 pm at the Publix Supermarket located in the Walden Woods Shopping Plaza at 2202 James L. Redman Parkway. The Plant City Police Department responded to the scene after receiving a call about a man who had set himself ablaze inside the store.

Several people tried to help the man by extinguishing the flames while waiting for Plant City Fire Rescue to arrive. The man was eventually rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is listed in critical condition, according to WFLA.

The Plant City Police Department, along with the Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, is investigating the incident. The reason behind the man’s actions remains unclear.

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Authorities have urged anyone with information about the incident to contact the Plant City Police Department at 813-757-9200.

This incident is reminiscent of the tragic case of Aaron Bushnell, who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, in February. Bushnell, a 25-year-old US Air Force member from San Antonio, Texas, was initially in critical condition but later succumbed to his injuries.

Bushnell live-streamed his act on Twitch, showing himself pouring a liquid over his body and setting himself on fire while shouting “Free Palestine.” Before the incident, Bushnell posted a video explaining his reasons for the extreme protest. He declared, "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 added, "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 colonizers, it's not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal."

The tragic cases of both the Florida man and Aaron Bushnell highlight the severe distress and desperation that can lead individuals to such drastic actions.