Fire captain slain battling blaze
LONG BEACH, Calif. — A beloved and decorated fire captain was shot to death Monday morning, and two others — including a second firefighter — were wounded when a Southern California retirement home resident shot at firefighters responding to a report of an explosion in the building.
The shooting happened shortly before 4 a.m. at the 11-story retirement facility in Long Beach, south of Los Angeles, where firefighters found some windows blown out, activated sprinklers, the smell of gas and a fire that they extinguished, authorities said.
Firefighters were searching the building when shots were fired and the two firefighters were hit, Long Beach Fire Chief Michael DuRee said.
Fire Capt. Dave Rosa, who had worked for the department for 17 years, died at a hospital Monday morning, DuRee said. He is survived by a wife and two children, the chief said.
The other firefighter who was shot was hospitalized in stable condition. A third person was also struck by gunfire, and was in critical condition and undergoing surgery, said Police Chief Robert Luna.
Luna said a “person of interest” — who police believe is a resident at the facility — was detained and questioned by investigators. A weapon was recovered, he said.