Update: Man who set himself on fire on the White House lawn dies in hospital

The man who was filmed setting himself on fire on the White House lawn has died in hospital after he suffered burns to 85%of his body.

Arnav Gupta, 33, was filmed engulfed in flames in the Ellipse park, just south of the president’s Washington DC home on Wednesday (read here)

He burned for some seconds before Secret Service personnel used an extinguisher to put out the fire. He was then rushed to a hospital. 

On Thursday morning, it was announced that Gupta, who lived in Betesda, Maryland, has died. 

Police have yet to comment on why he set himself alight.

Before Gupta was identified as the man who set himself on fire, a press release had been issued by Montgomery County Police Department on Wednesday night asking for information on his whereabouts over fears for his safety. The press release said that Gupta had last been seen by his family when he left his home in Cindy Lane, Bethesda, around 9:20am Wednesday morning, three hours before he killed himself.

A police spokesman added: “Police are concerned for Gupta’s physical and emotional welfare”

He was spotted in the park with a suspect device moments before setting himself on fire, Metro UK reports. It was also reported that he was wearing a protective suit when he set himself alight. There was also a suspicious package on fire near him which was also extinguished by the Secret Service.