SEATTLE – Officials have identified the man who set himself on fire at the University of Washington (UW) on Oct. 30 as In Soo Chun, a former custodian at the university.
Chun, 61, had been employed with the university since December 2005. When he and another co-worker got into several non-physical altercations, Chun was reassigned to a different work site. He later requested and was granted several weeks of vacation; however, he never came back to work.
The university unsuccessfully tried to locate Chun. On Aug. 25, when he came to pick up his paycheck, he was told he was no longer employed at UW, but he had 10 days to seek reinstatement. Additionally, Chun was offered counseling assistance, which he refused.
Chun filed an unemployment claim with the state of Washington; however, he was denied. He appealed the decision on Oct. 24, and six days later, he poured gasoline over his body and set himself on fire in the middle of a campus courtyard.
He died shortly after with second- and third-degree burns covering 90 percent of his body.
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