Man Arrested After Setting Himself On Fire In Lobby Of Building Housing Google

A 63-year-old Brooklyn man has been arrested and charged after allegedly setting himself on fire in the lobby of a Lower Manhattan office building that houses Google and other tenants.

John Butch allegedly ignited himself at around 3 p.m. on Friday, August 28, inside the lobby of 315 Hudson Street, near Vandam Street, according to the New York Police Department.

Butch was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Centre for treatment of burns and was reported to be in stable condition. No other injuries were reported.

Police charged him with arson, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment. Authorities also confirmed that Butch is not an employee of the NYPD.

Security personnel reportedly extinguished the flames before emergency responders arrived. Investigators later recovered a collapsible baton from his bag, according to reports.

The incident occurred in the building’s shared lobby rather than inside Google’s offices. Google said the man appeared to have been seeking access to another tenant’s space and that the company was cooperating with authorities.

The building also houses the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau. Police have not disclosed a motive for the incident or established whether Google was specifically targeted.