New Jersey Man Sets Himself On Fire On National Mall

A Mount Laurel man has been identified by authorities as the man who set himself on fire on the National Mall in Washington D.C. last week.

John Constantino, 64, doused himself in gasoline in the center of the Mall Friday afternoon, then lit himself on fire, according to the Associated Press. Passing joggers took off their shirts in an effort to help douse the flames, and police said Constantino was conscious and breathing at the scene.

However, he succumbed to his injuries Friday night at the hospital. 

Attorney Jeffrey Cox, who represents Constantino’s family, released a statement Monday night asserting that Constantino acted not out of political motives but as the result of "a long battle with mental illness," the Washington Post reported.