Aaron Bushnell was a 25-year-old member of the United States Air Force who died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C., as a form of protest against the conflict in Gaza.
He stated that he did not want to be complicit in genocide and expressed support for Palestinian freedom.
Bushnell hailed from San Antonio, Texas.
Born in 1998 in Massachusetts, Bushnell was well-known for his good humor and participation in community events such as marching bands held indoors.
He was certified as a CompTIA Security+ professional and was working toward a degree in computer software engineering.
Parents
Bushnell’s parents are David and Danielle Bushnell who belong to the Community for Jesus church in Orleans, Massachusetts.
Danielle works as the Purchaser and Contracts Administrator for Paraclete Press, the church’s literary arm that publishes Christian books and music.
David’s Facebook profile shows that he actively participates in church-related groups, including the Church of the Transfiguration.
He previously worked as a construction supervisor for an architecture firm based in Orleans.
What was the reason behind Aaron Bushnell’s protest?
Bushnell set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C. as a protest against the conflict in Gaza.
He expressed that he did not want to be complicit in what he referred to as genocide in Gaza and shouted “Free Palestine” before immolating himself.
This act was a form of extreme protest against the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, with Bushnell articulating his intent to protest against what he perceived as Palestinian genocide.
The White House described his death as a “horrible tragedy,” acknowledging his actions as a protest against Israel’s actions in the conflict.
Career
Bushnell chose to serve as a DevOps Engineer in the Air Force despite his links with anarchist groups.
The intricacies of his life and the circumstances preceding his extreme deed are called into question by his sad acts.
Bushnell started his career at the United States Air Force in December 2019 as an Air Force Delayed Entry Program member.
He later completed Basic & Technical Training starting in May 2020.
Bushnell, who was trained as a Client Systems Technician and educated in cybersecurity, graduated as top-of-the-class in November 2020.
He spent two years and three months in the IT Infrastructure Monitoring & Oversight department before working as a DevOps engineer for the United States Air Force in San Antonio, Texas.
On February 25, Bushnell live-streamed a video on social media claiming that he would no longer be “complicit to genocide.”
He then committed suicide in protest of the United States’ involvement in Israel’s continuous “genocide” in Gaza.
Cause of death
Bushnell, a member of the U.S. Air Force, died following self-immolation outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C. as a form of protest against the conflict in Gaza.
Although the immediate cause of his death was severe burns sustained when he set himself on fire, the underlying factor leading up to this drastic act was his opposition to what he believed to be genocide in Gaza.
Swift intervention by the Secret Service resulted in Bushnell suffering critical life-threatening injuries, which eventually led to his passing away in a hospital.