Procession Held For Firefighter Killed In Agua Dulce Fire Station Shooting
AGUA DULCE (CBSLA) – A procession was held early Wednesday morning for a Los Angeles County firefighter who was killed in a shooting at a fire station in Agua Dulce which also left a second firefighter critically wounded. The suspect is believed to be an off-duty firefighter.
The procession started at L.A. County Fire Department Station No. 81 on the Sierra Highway, where the shooting occurred, and ended at the headquarters for the L.A. County coroner's office in Boyle Heights.
Dozens of people lined up an at overpass in Agua Dulce and two fire trucks extended their ladders for the firefighter.
The shooting took place just before 11 a.m. Tuesday in the 8700 block of Sierra Highway. A 44-year-old firefighter was killed and a 54-year-old fire captain was also critically injured.
The suspect is believed to be an off-duty fire engineer who worked at the same station and who had the day off. Following the shooting, the suspect drove 10 miles to his home in Acton, where he set the home ablaze and then took his own life, L.A. County Sheriff's investigators believe.
No names have been officially released. However, La Habra City Councilman Jose Medrano identified the deceased firefighter as Tory Carlon.
A GoFundMe page was created to assist Carlon's family. It can be found here.
At a vigil Tuesday night in Acton, a friend of the deceased firefighter described him as a loving father to three girls.
"When it comes to being a father, when it comes to being a fireman, when it comes to being a mentor, there was nobody that could parallel that, he taught me much about being a better father for my girls and being there," he told the gathered crowd.
The slain firefighter was a 20-year veteran of the department.
"I've always prayed that we would never have a line of duty death, and never thought that if it occurred that it would occur in this fashion," LACFD Chief Daryl Osby said.
There were two other firefighters in the firehouse when the shooting occurred. They were able to alert L.A. County Sheriff's deputies to what had taken place.
The motive for the shooting remains unknown. However, the Los Angeles Times reports that there may have been an ongoing dispute between the shooter and the slain firefighter, who worked different shifts but resided in the same area.
"They work 24 hours, so we have to interview all the people that are assigned to this fire house that worked on all three different shifts, to get into, was there any history between these individuals, when was the last time they saw each other," L.A. County Sheriff's Lt. Brandon Dean said.
Agua Dulce is located about 18 miles northeast of the city of Santa Clarita, and about 40 miles north of Los Angeles.
