Family Identifies CA Firefighter Killed in Station Shooting
Source Firehouse.com News
A Los Angeles County firefighter fatally shot at the station by a fellow firefighter Tuesday was identified by his family during an evening vigil.
Firefighter Tory Carlon, 44, was pronounced dead at the scene after an off-duty firefighter opened fire at the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Station 81 in Agua Dulce, also critically wounding a 54-year-old fire captain. The names of the shooter and the injured firefighter have not yet been released.
Carlon was remembered by family members and friends who gathered for a vigil at Acton Park, not far from the scene of the shooting, KABC-TV reports.
"When it comes to being a father, when it comes to being a fireman, when it comes to being a mentor, there was nobody that could parallel that," a close friend said during the vigil, according to KABC.
Carlon, who had served with the department for more than 20 years, is survived by a wife and three daughters, according to Chief Daryl Osby. Following what he called a "tragic day for the Los Angeles County Fire Department," Osby commended Carlon's service to the department and community.
"He was a brave, committed, loyal member of our department," the chief said.
First responders from around the area attended Tuesday night's vigil to give support to the department, as well as the family and loved ones of Carlon and the wounded fire captain.
"As a firefighter in the Los Angeles City Fire Department, that's our brother department," a firefighter who identified himself as Curtis told KABC. "We take care of each other, and when something happens like this, it shakes all of us."
In the aftermath of the station shooting, the wounded fire captain was airlifted to a hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and is in critical but stable condition, the Los Angeles Times reports. According to authorities, the suspected gunman fled the station and returned to his nearby Acton home, where he is believed to have intentionally set it on fire after barricaded himself inside.
Sheriff's deputies found the person thought to be the suspect dead in a pool at the house with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Although authorities would not confirm that it was a suicide, they did say no one else was home and no deputies fired shots.
A motive for the shooting has not been officially released and the investigation is ongoing, but a source with knowledge of the situation told KABC that Tuesday's violence stemmed from a continuing feud between the slain firefighter and the gunman, who lived near one another while working different shifts.
“As a fire chief, I never thought that when our firefighters face danger, that they would face that danger in one of our community fire stations,” Osby said.
