SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — 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.
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 north of Los Angeles, Fire Chief Daryl Osby told reporters. The wounded man is in critical but stable condition at a hospital.
Osby said the shooter barricaded himself at his house less than 10 miles away from the 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 home was set on fire, gutting it in about three hours, and he was later found dead.
The gunman appeared to have a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said, adding that no deputies fired.
Neighbors watched black smoke pouring from the burned house in the nearby community of Acton, a dry, hilly area with ranches with horses and other livestock.
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 writer Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this story.
