@jgermano1 via Twitter
Jamie Germano tweeted this photo: "Fire on Lake Rd in Webster where firefighter were shot at upon arrival."
A sadistic gunman killed two firefighters and wounded three other first responders in western New York this morning after setting a blaze to lure victims into shooting range, officials said.
The murderer traded gunfire with cops and was eventually killed -- though it wasn’t immediately clear if officers brought him down, or if he committed suicide, said Webster police chief Gerald Pickering.
“It does appear it was a trap that was set for ... first responders,” Pickering said. “Causative reasons, we don’t have at this time.”
The fire, near the Lake Ontario shore just east of Rochester, broke out at 191 Lake Road at 5:45 a.m., and quickly spread to two more houses and a car, officials said.
Firefighters had to fall back after shots were fired, and flames eventually spread to seven more houses, officials said. Four houses were burned down and four were damaged by the time all flames were brought under control.
Pickering choked back tears as he revealed names of the two fatally wounded victims.
One of the fallen firefighters, 43-year-old Michael Chiapperini, was a volunteer -- his day job was a lieutenant in Webster’s police department, officials said.
The other tragically killed Bravest Tomasz Kaczowka, who was a Monroe County 911 dispatcher, officials said.
“These people get up in the middle of the night to fight fires,” said Pickering. “They don't expect to be shot and killed.”
Two of Webster's Bravest, who were shot and wounded, are in guarded condition at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, officials said. They were identified as volunteer firefighters Joseph Hofsetter and Theodore Scardino.
One of them was reportedly shot through the hip and was in surgery this morning. He's expected to survive.
John Ritter, a police officer from nearby Greece, was wounded by flying shrapnel after responding in his private car, officials said.
Ritter was headed to work when he saw fire trucks and followed along, before his truck was hit twice with gunfire.
Gunman dead after killing 2 firefighters, 3 others wounded at scene of blaze near Rochester
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Gunman dead after killing 2 firefighters, 3 others wounded at scene of blaze near Rochester
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Gunman dead after killing 2 firefighters, 3 others wounded at scene of blaze near Rochester
