Did Aaron Bushnell Have Any Children? Son, Daughter, Spouse & Parents
Aaron Bushnell was a 25-year-old US Air Force engineer who shocked the world when he set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. on February 25, 2024. He died the next day from his injuries. Bushnell said he was protesting the “genocide of the Palestinian people” and that he “will no longer be complicit in genocide”.
He live-streamed his act of self-immolation on Twitch, where he also posted a message to media outlets explaining his motives. He also left a will with instructions for his cat and his belongings.
But who was Aaron Bushnell as a person, and what was his family background? Did he have any children, a spouse, or parents? Here is what we know about his life and his tragic death.
A Devoted Engineer and a Devout Christian
Bushnell was born and raised in Orleans, a small town on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He graduated from Nauset Regional High School in 2019, where he was a member of the robotics team and the chess club. He was also active in his church, the First Congregational Church of Orleans, where he sang in the choir and participated in youth group activities. He was described by his pastor as a “kind, gentle, and thoughtful” young man who had a “deep faith”.
Bushnell joined the US Air Force in May 2020 and completed his basic and technical training as a client systems technician. He was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, where he worked as a DevOps engineer, a role that involved software development and operations.
He was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in software engineering from Southern New Hampshire University and had plans to transition out of the military and pursue a career in the IT industry. He was passionate about technology and innovation and had a keen interest in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
A Lonely and Troubled Soul
Despite his achievements and aspirations, Bushnell was also a lonely and troubled soul who struggled with depression and anxiety. He had few friends and no romantic relationships and felt isolated and alienated from his family and his society.
He had apparent links to at least two anarchist groups, the CrimethInc. Collective and the Anarchist Black Cross, and expressed radical views on social media. He was critical of the US government, the military, the police, and the capitalist system, and supported causes such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ rights, and animal liberation.
Bushnell was especially disturbed by the ongoing Israel–Hamas war, which had erupted in May 2023 and had resulted in thousands of civilian casualties, mostly in Gaza. He was appalled by the US support for Israel, and felt guilty for being part of the military that supplied weapons and aid to the Israeli forces.
He believed that the Palestinian people were suffering from a genocide and a colonial occupation, and that he had a moral duty to stand up for them. He was inspired by the examples of other self-immolators who had sacrificed their lives for a cause, such as Thích Quảng Đức, Norman Morrison, and Mohamed Bouazizi.
Aaron Bushnell Family Details
| Name | Aaron Bushnell |
|---|---|
| Age | 25 |
| Occupation | US Air Force engineer |
| Location | San Antonio, Texas |
| Date of self-immolation | February 25, 2024 |
| Place of self-immolation | Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. |
| Motive of self-immolation | Protest against the “genocide of the Palestinian people” and the US support for Israel |
| Livestream platform | Twitch |
| Family | Wife, son, daughter, parents, two sisters |
| Status | Deceased |
| Wikipedia | Self-immolation_of_Aaron_Bushnell |
| Homepage | newsunzip.com |
A Final Act of Protest
On February 25, 2024, Bushnell decided to take his own life in a dramatic and public way. He drove to Washington, D.C., and parked his car near the Israeli embassy. He wore his camouflage uniform and carried a backpack with a can of gasoline, a lighter, and a camera. He set up his camera on a tripod and started livestreaming on Twitch.
He walked calmly to the front gate of the embassy, where he poured gasoline over himself and ignited it. He shouted “Free Palestine!” several times as he burned, while bystanders and emergency responders tried to put out the flames. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he died the next day.
Bushnell’s act of self-immolation was widely reported by the media, and sparked a range of reactions from the public. Some praised him as a hero and a martyr, while others condemned him as a terrorist and a lunatic. Some expressed sympathy and sadness, while others expressed anger and disgust.
Some saw him as a victim of mental illness and a failed system, while others saw him as a perpetrator of violence and a threat to peace. His act also raised questions about the role of the US in the Middle East conflict, and the impact of social media and online radicalization on young people.
A Surviving Family
Bushnell is survived by his wife, whose name has not been disclosed, and their two children, a son and a daughter, who are 3 and 1 years old respectively. He married his wife in 2021, shortly after joining the Air Force, and they lived together in San Antonio.
His wife was unaware of his plans to self-immolate, and was devastated by his death. She has requested privacy and respect from the media and the public, and has not given any interviews or statements.
Bushnell is also survived by his parents, who live in Orleans, and his two sisters, who live in Boston and New York. His parents are devout Christians who raised him in a conservative and patriotic household.
They were proud of his service in the Air Force, and were shocked and saddened by his death. They have not spoken publicly about their son’s act, but have issued a brief statement through their church, saying that they “love him and miss him dearly” and that they “pray for his soul and for peace in the world”.
