4 firefighters shot, 2 dead in upstate N.Y.
Updated 8:05 p.m. ET
WEBSTER, N.Y. An ex-con gunned down two firefighters after luring them to his neighborhood by setting a car and a house ablaze early Monday, then took shots at police and committed suicide while several homes burned.
Authorities used an armored vehicle to help residents flee dozens of homes on the shore of Lake Ontario a day before Christmas. Police restricted access to the neighborhood, and officials said it was not clear whether there were other bodies in the seven houses left to burn.
The sister of the gunman, who lived with him, was unaccounted for. The gunman's motive was unknown.
The gunman fired at the four firefighters when they arrived shortly after 5:30 a.m. at the blaze in Webster, a suburb of Rochester, town Police Chief Gerald Pickering said. The first police officer who arrived chased the suspect and exchanged gunfire.
Webster, N.Y., Fire Marshal gives update on shooting of firefighters
He lay in wait outdoors for the firefighters' arrival, then opened fire probably with a rifle and from atop an earthen berm, Pickering said.
"It does appear it was a trap," he said.
The gunman, William Spengler, had served more than 17 years in prison for beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980 at the house next to where Monday's attack happened, Pickering said at afternoon news conference. Spengler, 62, was paroled in 1998 and had led a quiet life since, authorities said. Convicted felons are not allowed to possess weapons.
Two firefighters, one of whom was also a town police lieutenant, died at the scene, and two others were hospitalized. An off-duty officer who was passing by was also injured.
An undated photo of William Spengler
/ Monroe County Sheriff's OfficeAnother police officer, the one who exchanged gunfire with Spengler, "in all likelihood saved many lives," Pickering said.
Emergency radio communications capture someone saying he "could see the muzzle flash coming at me" as Spengler carried out his ambush. The audio posted on the website RadioReference.com has someone reporting "firefighters are down" and saying "got to be rifle or shotgun — high powered ... semi or fully auto."
Police Lt. Michael Chiapperini was killed while responding to a fire in Webster, N.Y.
/ WebsterPost.com/Messenger Post MediaSpengler lived in the house with his sister and mother, Arline, who died in October. He had originally been charged with second-degree murder in connection with grandmother Rose Spengler's death but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter.
A friend of the gunman, Roger Vercruysse, said Spengler didn't seem violent but hated his sister. Vercruysse said Spengler "loved his mama to death" and that he thinks his friend "went crazy" after she died.
The West Webster Fire District learned of the fire early Monday after a report of a car and house on fire on Lake Road, on a narrow peninsula where Irondequoit Bay meets Lake Ontario, Monroe County Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn said.
The fire appeared from a distance as a pulsating ball of flame glowing against the early morning sky, flames licking into treetops and reflecting on the water, with huge bursts of smoke billowing away in a brisk wind.
Two of the firefighters arrived on a fire engine and two in their own vehicles, Pickering said. After Spengler fired, one of the wounded men managed to flee, but the other three couldn't because of flying gunfire.
A police armored vehicle was used to recover two men, and eventually it evacuated 33 people from nearby homes, the police chief said. The gunfire initially kept firefighters from battling the blazes.
The dead men were identified as Police Lt. Michael Chiapperini, 43, the Webster Police Department's public information officer; and Tomasz Kaczowka, also a 911 dispatcher, whose age was not released.
Pickering described Chiapperini as a "lifetime firefighter" with nearly 20 years in the department, and called Kaczowka a "tremendous young man."
The two wounded firefighters, Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino, were in guarded condition in the intensive care unit at Strong Memorial Hospital, authorities said. Both were awake and alert and are expected to recover.
Tomasz Kaczowka, a 911 dispatcher, was killed while responding to a fire in Webster, N.Y.
/ FacebookHofstetter, also a full-timer with the Rochester Fire Department, was hit once in the pelvis, and the bullet lodged in his spine, authorities said. Scardino was hit in the chest and knee.
At West Webster Fire Station 1, there were at least 20 bouquets on a bench in front and a bouquet of roses with three gold-and-white ribbons saying, "May they rest in peace," "In the line of duty" and "In memory of our fallen brothers."
A handwritten sign says, "Thanks for protecting us, RIP." Two candles were lit to honor the dead.
Grieving firefighters declined to talk to reporters. A memorial vigil was planned for early Monday evening.
Resident Joanne Nania was among the many people in Webster grieving Monday night.
"They're always there for you, you know?" Nania told CBS News. "You take them for granted. You don't know -- oh, I'm sorry, I just -- it's just -- it's Christmas! I mean, who targets people on Christmas?"
The shooting and fires were in a neighborhood of seasonal and year-round homes set close together across the road from the lakeshore. The area is popular with recreational boaters but is normally quiet this time of year.
"We have very few calls for service in that location," Pickering said. "Webster is a tremendous community. We are a safe community, and to have a tragedy befall us like this is just horrendous."
O'Flynn lamented the violence, which comes on the heels of other shootings including the massacre of 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
"It's sad to see that that this is becoming more commonplace in communities across the nation," O'Flynn said.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the State Police and Office of Emergency Management were working with local authorities.
"Volunteer firefighters and police officers were injured and two were taken from us as they once again answered the call of duty," Cuomo said in a statement. "We as the community of New York mourn their loss as now two more families must spend the holidays without their loved ones."
Webster, a middle-class suburb, now is the scene of violence linked to house fires for two Decembers in a row.
Last Dec. 7, authorities say, a 15-year-old boy doused his home with gasoline and set it ablaze, killing his father and two brothers, 16 and 12. His mother and 13-year-old sister escaped with injuries. He is being prosecuted as an adult.
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Christ was the ultimate Liberal. He said,"Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you."; "Put up your sword! Those who live by the sword DIE by the sword." He said, "Whatever you ask of the Father in My Name will be granted" We don't ask.
Jesus reminded us, "If you have faith the size of a grain of mustard you will be able to move mountains." Zealots crucified Him.
Instead of CINOs reaching out to the God they drag out for every political cause, they trust in guns. Do they pray to God to help w/the fact 1:5 US women are raped in their lifetime? To stop cheap conversion kits to turn rifles into weapons of mass destruction? To help us with the fact the US is the murder capital of the world? No. After every outrage they run to gun shows & WalMart to stock up on MORE ammunition & guns in direct violation of Jesus' command.
When it comes to helping the poor, the sick, the widowed & the orphan CINOs are more interested in how such aid will affect their IRAs, their bank accounts, or taxes. They ignore the stern warning of the Rich Man & Lazarus: RM was tickled w/his 3rd qtr profits, planning on expanding his warehouses, adding employees & scarfing down a great meal...all after stepping over poor, starving & in need of medical care brother Lazarus who lay in his path.(RM probably called the cops to have Lazarus removed from view). Funny thing, though. RM didn't live thru the night. An angel called him a fool & said 'times up!' That night both RM & Laz died: RM went to hell & Laz was tended by no less than Father Abraham. Abraham scorned RM when he asked for but a drop of water to cool his burning lips. "You had your chance to help your poor brothers when you were alive. You enjoyed your reward on earth. Lazarus suffered in his earthly life: now he enjoys his eternal reward."
Even our poor live better than 80% of the world! We have food, clothing, homes or shelters for most, yet we are the people who want MORE. MORE cheap junk. MORE technology. MORE money. But don't ask us to pay for medical care for kids, or for one red cent to care for those babies zealots demand be brought to term. Once born, they're not OUR problem, are they? It's why 9 Red states qualify as 3rd world nations in infant mortality rates or maternal deaths.
1:3 Americans no longer belong to an organized religion, 1:5 claim no god at all. This's NOT the fault of ending school prayer: it's the fault of parents who don't pray with or teach basic prayer to their kids (busy working?).Prayer in schools? Who's? How'll that erase pictures of TeaParty zealots waving Bibles in 1 hand, carrying racist hate signs in the other & openly packing loaded guns?
'New' religions promise "Follow us & God will make you RICH!" Nice houses, big cars, fancy clothes, etc. All despite the fact Jesus said it was easier for a camel to pass thru the Needle's eye than a rich man to enter heaven. He told the rich boy, "This alone do you lack: sell all you have, give your riches to the poor & then come back & follow Me)."
Jesus said,"Where your heart lies, there your treasure is found." If Americans were to fight for God the way they fight for cheap Chinese junk on Black Friday (how aptly named!) we might see a return to peace & security instead of to the horrible days of the Wild West.
Maybe Texans & idiots like the thought of armed camps instead of neighborhoods, but it took over 100 yrs to achieve peace in the West to where decent citizens could walk safely without stray bullets & outlaws robbing, raping & killing with abandon. Now Satan's 'Christians' want to bring all that back.
The NRA boasts 4 million 'members'(including babies). Hmmmn. That's less than 1% of Americans!!! The rest of us want safety, peace & security. We want assault rifles banned {any hunter knows you can't use assault rifles to hunt- the meat'd be useless).
We want those special bullets meant to explode inside bodies (like those at Sandy Nook that blew those poor babes into unrecognizable bags of tissue)banned. If the mother of the shooter, Adam, had a brain she'dve gotten those guns out of the home til he was safely in the asylum. Nope, she took him shooting! Leaving guns around a mentally ill man was proof she was nuttier 'n him.
Why fight locks on every gun to prevent kids from using them in anger/frustration? Other nations allow guns, but responsibly. Why fight responsible gun ownership? P.R.O.F.I.T. F.E.A.R.& lack of faith in God.
It is a breath of fresh air for me to read the kind of information I post every chance I get. I am actually surprised in that your commentary read like one of my own.
I really appreciate reading it but would like to add one comment that I know you will agree, that BOJAX39 symbolizes.. Remember in the days of Moses, when the Pharoah was asked repeatedly to free the Israelites, God said there would be those whose hearts would be hardened and they would not listen to the truth. BOJAX39 is the perfect example of such. BOJAX39's response is also typical of those in the days of Noah and Sodom.
The Scriptures indicate that there will always be those who will not "hear."
we don't care what happens as long as we don't infringe upon the rights of the convicted criminals.
Its rediculous to think that we actually should enforce the laws as passed.
im under no illusions as to the good nature of all mankind.
Listen 2nd amendment suckers, our government possess every type of weapon known (and even some you don't know about yet, like microwave cannons, and high powered lasers)including WMDs like chemical, biological, and even nuclear weapons.
The conventional inventory includes unmanned bomber drones, attack helicopters, and supersonic stealth fighter planes, chain guns, cluster bombs, white phosphorus, Sidewinders,shoulder-fired Stingers, and napalm, among other nasty things.
You think your AR-15, or AK-47 is going to help you against that?
Or do you posit that you should have the right to own such weapons also?
Forget it, if the government becomes over-zealous, there isn't jack you can do about it, other than vote them out.
Raise a weapon against the government, you are committing treason, and will be turned into a grease-stained crater in very short order. "the Government" won't even slow down chewing their tenderloin steak while it happens.
So who are you bagger maroons going to be shooting at, should the government become, in your opinion, overzealous? Cops from your own neighborhood? Your representative, or senator? Your neighbors? Your kids?
The President? You suckers will never get the shot.
You are really maroons if you thing that shooting at "the government" is going to accomplish anything, except for your own vaporization.
When the framers wrote that clause, it was at a time when cannons and single shot-rifles were the standard for everyone, both military and civilian.
You delude yourself if you think you have the ability to take out those who truly hold power over your lives, even the President cannot touch those who hold power over him.
If the baggers haven't risen up against their worst nightmare, a "black" president, they aren't going to rise up against any form of government, even though they would like to do so.
So just keep on giving your money to the gun manufacturers, they love how much you spend on something you will statistically never use. You baggers are taking it rearward from the gun makers, and they aren't even giving you some gun lube first.
I'm listening.....
Its no wonder we in this Nation cannot get anything meaningful accomplished.