The Air Force veteran who set himself on fire outside the state Capitol two days ago remained in critical condition Thursday afternoon, according to a spokeswoman with the GBI.
John Watts, 58, was trying to call attention to problems with the Department of Veterans Affairs, authorities said.
Watts was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital Tuesday after a Capitol police officer extinguished the flames. Watts, who suffered burns over 85 to 90 percent of his body, was reportedly able to talk with officers immediately afterwards.
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U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, of Georgia, and chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, called the incident “a sad occasion and a tragedy” during a committee hearing Wednesday.
“Being my home state, my home city, my country, my capitol and a veteran, I immediately called home to find out about the circumstances of the situation,” he said. “Obviously saving the veteran’s life is the number one goal and priority, which is in the process of being done now, and we hope and pray that will happen.”
The remarks were made during a meeting to consider the nomination of Robert Wilkie to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Georgia State Patrol has not yet released additional details about Tuesday’s incident and authorities did not identify any specific problems the Air Force veteran was protesting at the agency.
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