Man engulfed in flames on UC Berkeley campus shouting ‘Mormon Mafia’

A man in his twenties set himself on fire on the University of California Berkeley campus Wednesday while shouting ‘Mormon Mafia’ horrifying bystanders who tried to help.

The burning man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was engulfed in flames as he ran down busy Telegraph Avenue as people screamed, ‘roll on the ground.’  He was eventually saved by a local business owner who ran out of his storefront with a fire extinguisher.

Enrique Rojas, manager at Sandwich a Go-Go, was aided by two people who tried to help the man who was shouting, ‘get away,’ according to an eyewitness.

Two people were able to fully extinguish the flames as the man shouted to ‘get away,’ according to an eyewitness. 

The Berkeley Fire Department and police and Berkeley Mental Health responded to the scene. The man was later hospitalized with second- and third-degree burns over most of his body. The two bystanders who tried to put out the fire were also injured.

A man set himself on fire on the campus of University of California Berkeley campus Wednesday while shouting ‘Mormon Mafia’ horrifying bystanders who try to help

The burning man, whose identity was not disclosed, was engulfed in flames as he ran down Telegraph Avenue as horrified bystanders screamed ‘roll on the ground’

Two people were able to fully extinguish the flames in front of Eshleman Hall as the man shouted to ‘get away,’ according to an eyewitness

Tony Delacruz, who works in the UC Student Store, was returning from his break sometime after 4pm when he witnessed the man engulfed in flames and rushed to the scene.

Delacruz described the man as volatile as people gathered around him trying to help, and said he appeared ‘indifferent’ to the flames.

By the time he ran to get a fire extinguisher the manager from the sandwich shop was there and had the fire under control.

The man was taken to the trauma center at Oakland’s Highland Hospital, fire officials said.

University of California Police Department (UCPD) officers temporarily cordoned off portions of Sproul Plaza and Telegraph Avenue with police tape, which was later removed.

Clothing remnants were left on the plaza, along with fire extinguishers. 

It is unclear at this time if the individual was a student or a staff member at the university. 

Mental health services were being offered to students and staff members who witnessed the event, according to Berkeleyside.org. 

The UCPD is investigating the incident.