Firefighter kills colleague, wounds another at fire station

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Law enforcement authorities close off a road during an investigation for a shooting at fire station 81 in Santa Clarita, Calif. on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. An off-duty Los Angeles County firefighter fatally shot a fellow firefighter and wounded another at their fire station Tuesday before barricading himself at his home nearby, where a fire erupted and he was later found dead, authorities said. (AP Photo/David Swanson)

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Police vehicles appear on the scene of a fire near a home in Acton, Calif. on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Authorities say there’s been a shooting at a Los Angeles County Fire Department station. Fire Department Supervisor Leslie Lua said paramedics responded to reports of gunshots at Fire Station 81, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. The home on fire is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of the station, and there’s a heavy police presence, but it’s unclear if it’s connected to the shooting and authorities didn’t immediately have more information. (David Crane/The Orange County Register via AP)

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This aerial image taken from video provided by KABC-TV shows fire coming from a house, in Acton, Calif., Tuesday, June 1, 2021, where a suspect fled to after a shooting at a fire station. Los Angeles County Fire Department supervisor Leslie Lua said paramedics responded to reports of gunshots shortly before 11 a.m. at Fire Station 81, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. (KABC-TV via AP)

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This aerial image taken from video provided by KABC-TV shows authorities investigating a shooting at Fire Station 81 in Santa Clarita, Calif., Tuesday, June 1, 2021. (KABC-TV via AP)

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A gunman opened fire at a Los Angeles County fire station in Agua Dulce today, striking at least two people -- one possibly fatally -- before fleeing and apparently setting fire to a home in nearby Acton on Fire and smoke rise from a home in Acton, Calif. on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Authorities say there’s been a shooting at a Los Angeles County Fire Department station. Fire Department Supervisor Leslie Lua said paramedics responded to reports of gunshots at Fire Station 81, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. The home on fire is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of the station, and there’s a heavy police presence, but it’s unclear if it’s connected to the shooting and authorities didn’t immediately have more information. (David Crane/The Orange County Register via AP)

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A fire engulfs a house in Acton, Calif., Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Los Angeles County Fire Department supervisor Leslie Lua said paramedics responded to reports of gunshots shortly before 11 a.m. at Fire Station 81, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. Around the time of the shooting, a fire broke out at the home less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of the station and police swarmed the area. TV helicopter reporters said a body that may be the gunman was visible outside the home, which was gutted by flames in about three hours. (AP Photo/David Swanson)

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A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop on a house engulfed in fire, in Acton, Calif., on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Los Angeles County Fire Department supervisor Leslie Lua said paramedics responded to reports of gunshots shortly before 11 a.m. at Fire Station 81, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. Around the time of the shooting, a fire broke out at the home less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of the station and police swarmed the area. TV helicopter reporters said a body that may be the gunman was visible outside the home, which was gutted by flames in about three hours. (AP Photo/David Swanson)

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Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby talks during a news conference about a shooting at a local fire station in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. An off-duty Los Angeles County firefighter fatally shot a fellow firefighter and wounded another at Fire Station 81 before barricading himself at his home nearby, where a fire erupted and he was later found dead, authorities said. (AP Photo/Stefanie Dazio)

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Law enforcement personnel close off a road during an investigation of a shooting at Fire Station 81 in Santa Clarita, Calif., Tuesday, June 1, 2021. (AP Photo/David Swanson)

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Law enforcement personnel close off a road during an investigation of a shooting at Fire Station 81 in Santa Clarita, Calif., Tuesday, June 1, 2021. (AP Photo/David Swanson)

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Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva talks during a news conference about a shooting at a local fire station in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. An off-duty Los Angeles County firefighter fatally shot a fellow firefighter and wounded another at Fire Station 81 before barricading himself at his home nearby, where a fire erupted and he was later found dead, authorities said. (AP Photo/Stefanie Dazio)

By Stefanie Dazio

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP) — An off-duty Los Angeles County firefighter fatally shot a fellow firefighter and wounded another at their small community fire station Tuesday before going to his nearby home, setting it on fire and apparently killing himself, authorities said.

A 44-year-old fire specialist died and a 54-year-old firefighter was shot when the gunman opened fire shortly before 11 a.m. at Fire Station 81, which is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, Fire Chief Daryl Osby told reporters. The wounded man was in critical but stable condition at a hospital.

The shooter was a firefighter specialist and engineer, authorities said. The fire chief said he could not speak to the motive for the attack and doesn’t know about any disciplinary actions.

“He was not scheduled to work today. He came back and confronted the on-duty personnel,” a visibly shaken Osby said. “I cannot speak to the mindset of the shooter. I can say that it’s very tragic and sad that that would be a decision point of one of the members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.”

The gunman, who was not identified, then went to his house less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) away, which authorities found engulfed in flames. He was later found dead in an empty pool.

The shooter appeared to have a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.

All the firefighters worked at the small station in Agua Dulce, a rural community of about 3,000 people in the desert of northern Los Angeles County known for its rock formations and panoramic views.

The shooting comes less than a week after a gunman killed nine of his co-workers at a rail yard in San Jose after rigging his home to burn down. He killed himself Wednesday after expressing hatred for his workplace for years.

The man who died in Tuesday’s shooting at the fire station was a more than 20-year veteran who had been promoted to firefighter specialist, the person who drives the firetruck, officials said. He was shot multiple times in the upper torso, according to authorities.

The fire chief says family and co-workers described the victim, who was not identified, as “truly dedicated, one of our better firefighters and a true loss to our department.”

“As fire chief, I never thought when our firefighters face danger, they would face that danger at one of our community fire stations,” Osby said.

Neighbors watched black smoke pouring from the burned house in the nearby community of Acton, a dry, hilly area dotted with ranches with horses and other livestock. The fire burned for hours, gutting the home, with helicopters making multiple water drops to douse it.

Michael May, 70, lives down the road and said he was sitting in his living room when he heard the buzz of helicopters flying low.

“Around here, that usually means a fire,” he said.

He saw a swarm of police cars racing up the street, and deputies emerged wearing bulletproof vests.

May has been a resident of the community for 23 years but didn’t know who lived at the gutted home. He said many people in law enforcement live in the area, as well as some in the film industry.

“It’s a place people want to go for peace and quiet,” he said.

Brian Dalrymple, 79, lives across the street from May and said he thought the burned home had been sold recently.

He and his wife went outside to see the thick smoke, initially concerned the flames might spread to their home. Dalrymple said he never heard gunshots but saw deputies rushing up to the property, long guns in hand.

He said a friend called to tell them the news.

“We didn’t know what she was talking about,” Dalrymple said. “It’s usually pretty peaceful out here.”

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Associated Press writers Christopher Weber and Robert Jablon in Los Angeles contributed to this story.