Disgruntled veteran sets himself on fire outside Georgia Capitol

[Hoodat]

UPDATE: Disgruntled veteran sets himself on fire outside Georgia Capitol, GSP says

By Steve Burns John Spink Stephen Deere     |     The Atlanta Journal-Constitution     |     26 June 2018

Disgruntled with the U.S. Veterans Administration, a veteran set himself on fire in protest Tuesday outside the state Capitol in downtown Atlanta, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

About 10:45 a.m., the 58-year-old Air Force veteran from Mableton parked a Nissan Sentra on Washington Street, stepped out of the car and walked toward the Capitol, GSP Capt. Mark Perry told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

 â€œHe was strapped with some homemade incendiary devices (and) firecrackers, and doused himself with some kind of flammable liquid” before lighting the fireworks, he said.

Several loud explosions were heard, and a trooper quickly put out the fire with an extinguisher, according to authorities.

https://www.ajc.com/news/crime--law/breaking-emergency-scene-outside-state-capitol/t1EJeInRLqB2fegT9JtLtI/


The Vet was rushed to Grady Hospital with 3rd-degree burns over 85% of his body.  Grady has one of the best burn centers around.  Assuming this was a suicide attempt, he should have done it in the lobby of the VA hospital which is one of the worst.  The VA here is horrible.  It always has been.

[edpc]

Unfortunately, if they truly are 3rd degree and cover that much of the body, the chances aren’t good he’ll survive. 

[thackney]

Unfortunately, if they truly are 3rd degree and cover that much of the body, the chances aren’t good he’ll survive.

I cannot bring myself to type what I think about his chance of recovery.

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[DCPatriot]

Geez....ya think they could come up with a better description than "disgruntled".

[240B]

I cannot jump to conclusions about this. I know a lot of veterans with mental issues. It is difficult to know if this is related to the VA or to the person and whatever he has been through in his life. There could be external issues unrelated to the VA involved. He could have just as easily done this in front of his workplace or his exwife's house, or a freakin' Walmart. Who knows? Obviously, he was not thinking rationally.

[ABX]

I cannot jump to conclusions about this. I know a lot of veterans with mental issues. It is difficult to know if this is related to the VA or to the person and whatever he has been through in his life. There could be external issues unrelated to the VA involved. He could have just as easily done this in front of his workplace or his exwife's house, or a freakin' Walmart. Who knows? Obviously, he was not thinking rationally.

Isn't this the third or fourth case of self immolation by vets at VA offices in the past ten years? 

[240B]

Isn't this the third or fourth case of self immolation by vets at VA offices in the past ten years?

I don't know. Most Vets I know would never do this in terms of suicide. The ones I am familiar with either shoot themselves or OD. This self immolation thing is more of a far-East custom. I can't see why a Vet would do that?

I don't know what this is. This is beyond my knowledge and experience.