77-year-old retirement home resident charged with fatally shooting fire captain responding to explosion

An undated handout photo of Long Beach Fire Capt. Dave Rosa, who was killed in the line of duty after being shot inside the Covenant Manor senior care facility in Long Beach.

in Kim’s second-floor apartment, where the explosion took place, Luna said.

“I am a little frustrated,” Luna said. “There’s still a large puzzle that we’re trying to put together. There’s a lot of information that we don’t know yet.”

Asked if Kim is suspected of setting the fires with the intention of shooting firefighters, Luna said, “that is a possibility.”

“That is one option that we’re looking at,” he added. “That will be investigated, because obviously if that’s the case we want to know why.”

Police are still investigating Kim’s history. So far they have only found record of an arrest many years ago for auto theft, Luna said.

His brother, George Kim, told the Long Beach Presstelegram that he hasn’t spoken to Thomas Kim in nearly 30 years. Thomas Kim and his ex-wife have one daughter, his brother said.

“His wife left him because he gambled,” George Kim told the Press-telegram. Thomas Kim immigrated to the U.S. in the 1960s, and graduated from college before working as a civil engineer in the Los Angeles area. He also worked in construction in Korea and Saudi Arabia before moving back to the U.S., the Press-telegram reported.

About 80 senior residents of the Long Beach retirement home were evacuated as a result of the shooting. They took shelter at a local community center, where the Red Cross was providing medical care on site. They were expected to return home by the end of the day, the Press-telegram reported.

On Monday afternoon, Rosa’s body was escorted with full honors from the hospital to the coroner’s office. Firefighters stood in salute as a 16-vehicle procession of firetrucks, motorcycles and other law enforcement vehicles moved through the streets. Later at night, a vigil was held at Fire Station No. 10, where Rosa served as captain for more than six years.

“Our deepest condolences go out to Captain Rosa’s family, friends and the entire Long Beach Fire Department as they mourn his tragic death,” California Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown said in a statement. He ordered flags at the capitol to be flown at half-staff.

Rosa is survived by his wife, Lynley, and sons Alec, 25, and Samuel, 16, the governor’s statement said.

Duree described Rosa as a “beloved” member of the department, as well as a “staunch family man, good husband, good father,” and “just a wonderful, wonderful person.”