WASHINGTON, April 23, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - A person set themselves on fire
outside the US Supreme Court on Friday, a spokeswoman said -- the second
incident to raise alarm near the Capitol in Washington in a week.

   "At approximately 6:30 pm (2230 GMT), an individual went onto the plaza in
front of the Supreme Court building and set themselves on fire," Supreme
Court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said in a statement.

   "This is not a public safety issue," she said, adding that no one else was
injured. No details about the person's health, identity or motives were
provided.

   "A medical helicopter just landed near the Capitol for a medical
emergency," US Capitol Police tweeted shortly after the incident.

   The helicopter landed on the plaza and airlifted the person to a local
hospital, McCabe said.

   The area was inaccessible and under investigation on Friday.  The incident
comes days after the Capitol was evacuated when authorities sounded a threat
alarm over a harmless parachute stunt.

   The alarm was triggered by a US Army parachute demonstration team's
flyover at a nearby baseball stadium as part of a pre-game show.